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THE AMERICAN SPORTSMAN'S LIBRARY 

EDITED BY 
CASPAR WHITNEY 



GUNS, AMMUNITION, AND TACKLE 



•y^y^ 



GUNS. AMMUNITION. AND 
TACKLE 



BY 

CAPTAIN A. W. MONEY, HORACE KEPHART 
W. E. CARLIN, A. L. A. HIMMELWRIGHT 

AND 

JOHN HARRINGTON KEENE 



WITH MANY ILLUSTRATIONS 




THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 

LONDON : MACMILLAN & CO., Ltd. 
1904 

ySll rights reserved 



LIpVsBV n» CONQI?ESS 

SEP 14 1904 
<5oo))rtrtt Entry 

CLAfiS CZ XXo. Na 

COPY B 




■? 



6r9 



Copyright, 1904, 
BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. 

Set up and electrotyped. Published September, 1904. 



Nornvood Press 

J. S. Gushing & Co. — Berwick £f Smith C». 

Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. 



CONTENTS 

THE SHOT-GUN AND ITS HANDLING 
By Captain A. W. Money 



PAGB 



Conduct in the Field 3 

English and American Shooting Compared . . .17 
What may prevent a Man from becoming a really 

Good Shot — Selection of Gun — Ammunition, etc. 32 

Ammunition 47 

How Trap-shooting helps to make a Good Shot . 67 

Target-shooting 69 

Live Pigeon Shooting 80 

Some Useful General Hints 105 

Use and Abuse of Smokeless Powder . . . .107 

THE HUNTING RIFLE 

By Horace Kephart 

The Hunting Rifle 117 

Accuracy , . . iig 

Trajectory « . . 128 

Killing Power . . . . . . . . .131 

Rapidity of Fire .146 

Weight 149 

Sights 152 

Trigger-pull 158 

Stock , . . . 160 

V 



vi Contents 

PACK 

Adjustment of Rifle i6i 

Adjusting for Zero 165 

Target Practice 168 

Reloading Ammunition i7S 

Care of the Rifle 183 

The Rifle of the Field 184 

THE THEORY OF RIFLE-SHOOTING 

By W. E. Carlin 

The Theory of Rifle-shooting 191 

In Vacuo 193 

The Resistance of the Air 200 

Time and Velocity — (Table) 220 

Energy . 229 

Penetration 231 

Drift 232 

The Drift of Elongated Projectiles . . . .238 

Recoil in Guns 250 

THE PISTOL AND REVOLVER 

By a. L. a. Himmelwright 

The Pistol and Revolver 259 

Arms 263 

Ammunition 276 

Sights 294 

Position 296 

Target-shooting 298 

Hints to Beginners 3^9 

Reloading Ammunition 32>^ 



Contents vii 

THE ARTIFICIAL FLY 
By John Harrington Keene 

PAGE 

The Theory of the Trout Fly 359 

Making the Trout Fly 369 

Using the Trout Fly 379 

The Theory of the Salmon Fly 389 

Making the Salmon Fly 398 

Using the Salmon Fly 405 

The Theory of the Bass Fly 414 

The Making of the Bass Fly 417 

Using the Bass Fly 422 

INDEX 427 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Salmon Flies In Color Frontispiece 

FACING PAGB 

The Rabbit in the Brush Pile 30 "^ 

A Chance of a Double 82 '^ 

Standing them off 122 ' 

An Unexpected Moment 170 

Revolvers : — 

Smith & Wesson New Military — Colt New Army 

— Smith & Wesson Russian Model . . . 266 
Colt New Service — Colt Frontier Model — Web- 
ley " W. G." Army Model 267 

Webley-Fosbury Automatic 268 

Colt New Police — Smith & Wesson Pocket — 

Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless . . . 274 - 
Pistols : — 

Colt Automatic — The Parabellum or " Luger " 

Automatic 268 

Mauser Automatic — Smith & Wesson — Stevens, 

Gould Model 270 ^ 

WuRFFLEiN — Remington — Gastinne-Renette . . 271- 

Stevens, Diamond Model 274 

Walter Winans — C. S. Ax tell 296 ^ 

Thomas Anderton — C. S. Richmond .... 297'^ 

E. E. Patridge — Sergeant William E. Petty . . 298 ^ 

J. E. Gorham — R. H. Sayre 299 • 

ix 



X Illustrations 

FACING PAGE 

Correct Manner of holding the Revolver . . . 320 
Correct Position of the Sights in aiming at a Tar- 
get — The Travel of the Line of the Sights 

about the Bull's-eye in aiming .... 324 

Lake Trout and Bass Flies . . . . In Color 368 

Hooked! 384 

Brook Trout Flies In Color 416 

Determined to get Something ..... 424 



THE SHOT-GUN AND ITS HANDLING 

Bv Captain A. W. Money 



THE SHOT-GUN AND ITS HANDLING 

Conduct in the Field 

America stands above all others in the world 
as a game-producing country. Both climate and 
soil are just what suit the numerous varieties 
found in such abundance. It is not, therefore, 
surprising that it should also produce the greatest 
number of shooters and the best shots ; there is 
no doubt that, in proportion to population, the 
game-shooters of America largely outnumber 
those of any other country, England included. 
It is equally true that they are, as a rule, better 
shots, use better guns and better ammunition, 
and have a far more thorough acquaintance with 
all that concerns guns, ammunition, habits of 
game, and how to shoot, than their brother 
sportsmen in other countries. 

The reason for this is not hard to find. 

Apart from the natural tendency of an Amer- 
ican to excel at anything he takes in hand, 

3 



4 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

whether as an amusement or as a business, there 
are other strong reasons why he should take up 
shooting in the first instance, and why, having 
done so, he may and should shoot well. 

In most other countries shooting is an expen- 
sive amusement, and confined to the wealthier 
part of the population, partly on account of the 
government tax which is levied on the use of the 
gun, even if not used on game, — the game-tax 
being still heavier; partly, and chiefly, because 
game-preserving is carried on to such an extent 
in those countries that without committing a tres- 
pass the non-owner or non-occupier of land can- 
not, as a rule, find anything to shoot at; and 
lastly, because the scale of wages and salaries 
in those countries is so low that no one but the 
wealthy classes has any money or time to spend 
on shooting. 

In America, on the contrary, there is no tax to 
stop a man from owning or using a gun ; and if he 
wishes to go after game, he can do so quite easily 
at present, without trespassing ; whilst throughout 
the whole country, salaries and wages run high 
enough to enable a man to spend something on 
shooting, or any other amusement he fancies. 

Probably of all others, however, the strongest 



The Sboi-mn arid its Handlim 



iy 



reason is the facility with which shooting of some 
kind or another, good, bad, or indifferent, can be 
obtained by practically every gunner in America, 
and the great variety of game the sportsman can 
pursue. For instance, duck, quail, geese, prairie- 
chicken, ruffed grouse, woodcock, snipe, rail-birds, 
rabbits, etc., tempt old and young alike, and afford 
a great variety of sport. 

Another reason why Americans should be 
ardent sportsmen is because North America is, 
par excellence, the country for camping. And who 
would ever camp out without a gun of some sort 
or another.'' — it seems to be so essentially a part 
of the outfit. 

Reader, have you ever camped out on a shoot- 
ing trip } If you have not, you have missed some- 
thing that is too good to be missed ; something the 
memory of which in later days will never entirely 
die out. I don't mean occupying a fixed camp, 
with a built-up log-cabin and every luxury, but 
your own moving and movable camp. 

Nowhere on the face of the globe are all the 
conditions so favorable to this nomadic kind of 
life as they are in most parts of this continent. 
Are you an invalid } Try camping out, and 
see if 3^ou don't say good-by to all the doctor's 



6 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

stuff. Are you brain weary and tired out from 
business ? Only try it once, and you will never 
regret and never forget it. Go to the mountains 
for choice ; but camping anywhere, especially if you 
are already a sportsman and can combine shooting 
and perhaps fishing with the camping out, has to 
ninety-nine people out of a hundred a fascination 
all its own. You go into camp with a jaded appe- 
tite and wanting all sorts of delicacies to tempt it. 
After a few days you wonder how you ever can 
have required those rich sauces and fine cooking 
and one course after another. 

Appetite ! You never knew the meaning of 
the word before. And the way you sleep! Off 
like a top almost before your head is on its pillow, 
whatever that may be. Awake, yes, wide awake 
at daylight, and wondering how on earth you have 
lived so long and never known the beauties and 
enjoyment to be seen and felt at that hour. 

Up and busy about camp breakfast, and then 
off for a day's shooting, — duck on the river or 
lake, quail in the fields, ruffed grouse in the bush 
and on the hills. 

Companions, yes ; and if he or they are conge- 
nial, this is when companionshijDS and friendships 
are made that last a lifetime. But if you are a 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 7 

true sportsman, with all the sporting instinct 
strong in you, your dog is the one companion 
you need most, provided you have the right sort. 

You and he are going to work all day together, 
he to find the game, you to shoot it. 

Your eye is never off him for many moments at 
a time ; and as you realize how hard he is working 
to give you sport, you forget he is only a poor 
devil of a dog, and begin to look upon him, and 
talk to him too, as a companion, — and don't imag- 
ine he won't appreciate it. 

There is much to be said on behalf of every 
branch of shooting ; but for real, downright, true 
sport, what can compare with a day at ruffed 
grouse on the Jersey or Pennsylvania hills, with a 
good dog and a good companion ? I have tried 
them all, not only in this country, but in England, 
Scotland, and Wales. Geese, ducks, quail, wood- 
cock, snipe, the red grouse of the Scotch moors, 
pheasants, and partridges, — each gives one the 
pleasure which all keen sportsmen feel ; but to my 
mind not one of them quite comes up to the pursuit 
of that most game and wily bird, the ruffed grouse. 

You cannot make a heavy bag of them, it is true, 
but every one you do put into your pocket has a 
story of its own ; and when you stop to eat your 



8 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

luncheon and lay several of these beauties before 
you, you look at them as so many individual heads 
of game, and not as one morning's bag. Each one 
has cost you a hard tramp, and given you, and your 
dog also, much pleasure and excitement before you 
succeeded in laying it low. 

Then, too, when they rise, what an exhilarating 
sound, that heavy whir of the wings ; and what 
wonderful cleverness they show in putting a 
branch, a trunk of a tree, — something, anything, 
— between themselves and the gun they seem to 
know by instinct is pointing at them ! But though 
I am personally fond of shooting ruffed grouse, I 
am well aware that many who are as good or bet- 
ter sportsmen than myself prefer shooting quail, 
prairie-chicken, wild fowl, snipe, etc. ; and each of 
these with its varying surroundings has its own 
especial charm. 

Quail shooting, like prairie-chicken shooting, 
is nothing without good ranging dogs, either set- 
ters or pointers ; and the true sportsman takes as 
much interest in watching his dogs' work as in 
his own performance with the gun. 

But we are at this moment more interested in 
the gun than the dog, and we will suppose that 
the reader is about to start on a day's quail shoot- 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 9 

ing ; and being somewhat of a novice, he wants a 
few hints as to what he should do or what he 
should not do. 

Your gun should be of medium weight, both 
barrels cylinder bored ; your shells lightly loaded 
as to powder, and with not more than one ounce 
of shot, — No. 8 for choice. 

You are now in the field, and your first, last, 
and ever present thought should be, to do noth- 
ing that can by any possibility imperil the lives 
of your companions. 

You have in your hand a dangerous weapon; 
and accidents occur so quickly, and in such un- 
thought-of ways, that it is impossible to be over- 
cautious. I am not exaggerating; and if you had 
been shot by careless companions as many times 
as I have, and seen as many serious, and in two 
cases fatal, accidents, as I have, you would feel 
about it as I do. 

If you are a novice with a gun, keep as much 
as possible on the left side of whoever is with you. 
Your gun will then most likely be pointing into 
vacant space, as it is usually, when expecting 
game, carried across the body, pointing to the 
left; and if by chance it goes off without your 
intending that it should, you will hit no one. 



lo Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

On the other hand, if you study your own safety 
chiefly, or have a novice for a companion, keep 
on his right side. Be most careful, at all times, 
that your gun is not pointing at or near any 
human being, but especially so when in the act 
of closing it. Never get over a fence without 
taking out both shells ; it is the only safe way ; 
and never, after laying your gun down, resting it 
against a tree, etc., draw it toward you by the 
muzzle. This has been the cause of many a fatal 
accident. 

Make it a rule never to fire at anything unless 
you are sure that there is no person within range, 
or in or near the line of the object you wish to 
shoot at. Let any amount of game escape sooner 
than run the slightest risk of blinding, maiming, 
or killing a human being. 

If you see others handling or carrying their 
guns carelessly, call their attention to it. This 
can always be done in a way that will not give 
offence; and it not only makes them and the 
other members of the party more careful, but will 
help you to be more careful yourself. 

Having been myself shot very seriously in both 
legs, when quite a boy, by a careless companion, 
I have always been most careful to run no risk of 



1 



The Shot-gun and its Handling ii 

shooting others, and cannot blame myself in any 
way for the three men and two boys that I have 
put shot into since my own accident, as in every 
one of these five instances the shot ricochetted, — 
in one instance off the ground ; in another, off 
the hinge of a door; and in the other three, 
off branches of trees, at such angles as no one 
would have thought possible. 

I mention this to show that when, with every 
precaution, such accidents will still happen, the 
chances of their occurrence must be enormously 
increased when there is the slightest carelessness. 

When carrying a loaded gun, whether you are 
expecting game to spring or not, never put your 
finger on the trigger until you put the gun to 
your shoulder. 

When carrying the gun over your shoulder, 
always have the trigger guard upward ; otherwise 
any one walking behind you will have his head 
in a line with your muzzle every now and then. 

When game rises, study to be quick, and yet 
deliberate ; shoot quickly, and yet not over-hur- 
riedly ; never show yourself too greedy to get all 
the shots, even if you feel that way. 

There is an unwritten law about leaving shots 
to your companion, which should always be strictly 



12 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

followed : this is, that a single bird rising in front 
of a shooter is his to shoot at until he has missed 
it, when the next man is at liberty to kill it if he 
can. If more than one bird rises, the shooter on 
the right should shoot at the right-hand birds, 
leaving the left-hand ones to the gun on his left, 
and vice versa. 

Remember that sport in shooting is not con- 
fined to the mere fact of shooting at and killing 
or missing your game, apart from handling or 
watching others handle the dogs, and watching 
the dogs themselves at their work. There is also 
what may be termed the science of woodcraft 
belonging to it, which no book can teach, but 
which every true sportsman will learn for himself 
as speedily as possible. 

This will teach you where game should be 
found at different times of the day, even on 
ground you have never visited before; where a 
flushed covey is likely to have flown to, though 
you have been unable to mark them down ; it will 
make you get into the instinctive habit of count- 
ing the number of birds in a covey as they flush, 
so that you can tell later whether you have found 
them all after they have scattered, as quail usually 
do, after being flushed ; it will save your tramping 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 13 

over miles of ground where the birds are not, and 
tiring yourself and your dogs for nothing ; it will 
teach you the length of flight which each kind of 
game is likely to take after being flushed, so that 
you can follow it up and spring it again. 

This naturally varies with the season of the 
year, the nature of the ground, as well as the de- 
scription of game you are in pursuit of. Thus, 
for instance, a woodcock will usually light again 
within one hundred yards of where it first sprung, 
a ruffed grouse within three hundred, quail within, 
say, two hundred. Ruffed grouse will almost al- 
ways continue in the same straight line they first 
started on till the moment of lighting, whilst the 
flight of quail and woodcock varies in any direc- 
tion. 

All varieties of game, whether winged or four- 
footed, are more alarmed by a person walking 
straight toward them than if they are approached 
by a circling, sideways movement. 

When game is wild, and it is difficult to get 
within shot of it, bear this fact in mind; and, when 
your dog begins to make game, in place of follow- 
ing him up, make a detour, circling round where 
you imagine the game to be, and trying to get it 
between yourself and your dog. You will in this 



14 Gims, Ammunition, and Tackle 

way often get a shot where it would have been 
hopeless otherwise. 

It does not often happen, except perhaps in the 
case of wild-fowl shooting, that you have to stalk 
your game ; but if you ever have to do so, bear in 
mind that nothing catches the eye of any wild 
animal so quickly as the human eye. And when 
trying to see where the object you are in pursuit 
of is located, look through a fringe of grass, or 
if that is not possible, through half-closed eyelids. 

Don't be persuaded to go out too early. You 
will gain nothing by it in the long run. Let the 
birds have their early morning feed in peace, and 
at eight, or better nine, o'clock, you will find them 
lying, sunning and dusting themselves, in their 
accustomed spot, prepared to lie well to your 
dogs and give you plenty of sport. 

It is all very well for a pot-hunter, who wants to 
shoot as many birds as he can, to be out at day- 
light and work till dark, but this is not sport. 

Nothing alarms all kinds of game so much as 
the human voice ; therefore avoid talking, and 
especially loud talking or shouting, while you are 
looking for game. Carry a whistle in such a posi- 
tion that you can get at it quickly. This will not 
alarm game to anything like the same extent as 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 15 

the voice. It is a good plan to arrange with your 
companions a series of simple calls, such as one 
sharp whistle, meaning, " Where are you ? " two^ 
meaning, " I am coming to you " ; three, meaning, 
" Come to me." 

As to dress, be sure that you wear wool next 
your skin, from your neck downward, — heavy or 
light according to the season of the year, — unless 
you wish later on to suffer from malaria or rheu- 
matism, or both. 

Nothing spoils a man's sport so much as a 
chafed or blistered heel ; therefore be careful that 
your socks or stockings, as the case may be, fit 
well and are not so loose as to rumple up in folds, 
and yet are of proper thickness to guard the feet 
from any slight unevenness in the boot or shoe, 
which must also be well fitting, and have soles 
sufficiently thick to prevent your feet feeling the 
inequalities of the ground, and so getting bruised. 

Canvas shooting-clothes, as sold by all sporting- 
goods dealers, are the best for outside wear, as 
they resist thorns, — of which you will come across 
plenty; and the prickly burrs, which in several 
varieties flourish on all ground that quail frequent, 
will not adhere to them as they will to any kind 
of cloth garment. 



1 6 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

Your hat should have a wide brim, so that the 
eyes may be shaded from the sun, especially when 
it is getting low as the afternoon progresses. 

In shooting, eyesight is more than half the bat- 
tle ; and if a man's eyes are defective, he cannot 
hope to shoot as well as if this were not the case. 
He can probably improve matters very much by 
wearing glasses ; and a man soon becomes accus- 
tomed to shooting in them, and except in wet 
weather is not handicapped by their use to any 
great extent. If the left eye is more powerful 
than the right, the only real remedy is a pair of 
properly adjusted glasses. 

Several mechanical contrivances have been 
made which were affixed to the barrels and were 
supposed to remedy this defect, but none of them 
have proved successful. 

If a man, however, shoots with both eyes wide 
open and does not attempt to aim, but fires in- 
stinctively as soon as he throws the gun to his 
shoulder, he will find that, despite the inequality 
in the sight of his two eyes, he yet points his gun 
at the right spot. 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 17 

English and American Shooting Compared 

A comparison between American and English 
shooting will perhaps be interesting to many who 
know only the one or the other. The difference 
between the two sports is, however, so great that 
it is hard to know just where to begin. 

I have had exceptional opportunities for enjoy- 
ing sport in both countries, having shot all over 
England and Scotland, as well as having had a 
long and extended experience of all forms of Amer- 
ican shooting. In England shooting may be 
divided practically under three heads, — grouse 
shooting, partridge shooting, and pheasant shoot- 
ing. There is a little wild-fowl shooting, chiefly 
around the coast, but it does not amount to much 
compared with what there is in America; while 
snipe, woodcock, and ground-game — i.e. hares 
and rabbits — come in as incidentals when shoot- 
ing the game mentioned under one of the three 
above heads. The same may be said of black 
game, — ptarmigan, plover, curlew, and wood- 
pigeons, — all of which are occasionally met 
with, and help to vary the day's bag. 

The open season on grouse commences on the 
12th of August, and closes on December loth. 



1 8 GiLUs, Ammunition, and Tackle 

Grouse are only to be found on the moors, — that is, 
on uncultivated land covered with heather or fern, 
— or in cultivated fields adjoining these moors. 
Every bit of land on which grouse are found, as 
well as practically every bit of land throughout 
the country, is strictly preserved and guarded, and 
poachers, as a very general rule, meet with prompt 
and condign punishment. 

Most of the moors in Scotland and in the north 
of England are rented, and a stipulation is made 
in each lease that only a certain specified number 
of grouse can be killed during the season by the 
lessee. The amount paid as rental for a moor 
varies according to different localities and their 
proximity to or distance from railroads or steam- 
ship communication. The rental usually in- 
cludes the use of a shooting-box (termed, as a 
rule, " lodge ") of very varying size and comfort, 
also of dogs and keepers, according to the extent 
of the moor. In fixing this rental it is usual to 
estimate its value at the rate of one pound sterling 
(about five dollars) for each brace of grouse allowed 
to be killed on the moor. I say " allowed to be 
killed," because it frequently happens that the 
lessee finds himself entirely unable to kill even 
one-half of the allowed number, because the birds 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 19 

are not there. There is as much roguery about 
letting moors as there is about selHng horses, and 
the agent's word should never be taken ; only a 
visit to the moor itself, or reliable information 
obtained on the spot, will make it safe to assume 
that you are probably going to get the value of 
your money. 

On the other hand, occasionally moors are to 
be obtained where many more than the stipulated 
quantity of birds could be shot, and yet a sufficient 
stock left for the next season's breeding. I re- 
member one such moor in the wilds of Ross-shire. 
It had never before been leased by its owner. I 
was invited by the gentleman, an Englishman, who 
had been fortunate enough to secure it for that 
season, to make one of a party of six guns to go 
up and shoot on the opening and eight following 
days, one Sunday intervening. The rental paid in 
this instance was one thousand pounds, equal to 
about five thousand dollars. We found a large, 
roomy, well-furnished, old-fashioned Scotch shoot- 
ing-box, with ample accommodation for our party, 
which included several ladies, who were not shoot- 
ers themselves, but who used to join us in a sump- 
tuous champagne lunch, with pate de foie gras 
and all the delicacies of the season, at some cosey 



20 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

nook on the moor beside a brawling trout stream, 
of which there were several full of speckled beau- 
ties. We went out daily in two separate parties^ 
starting about 9 a.m., and getting back to the 
lodge before dark, three guns in each party, and 
working in entirely different directions, each 
shooter having a loader with him carrying his 
second gun, ready to hand him whenever wanted, 
and two brace of dogs accompanying each party, 
as well as keepers, gillies, and ponies to carry out 
the luncheon and spare ammunition and to take 
home the game. The bag each day was usually 
from 150 to 200 brace of grouse. Hares were 
plentiful, but not considered worth shooting, as 
the Scotch mountain hare is very poor meat, 
being dry and stringy. 

The scenery was magnificent and cover plenti- 
ful for the birds, but for some reason the scent 
was very bad or our bags would have been much 
larger. 

At the end of our stay the head keeper told us 
that there was good ground left that we had not 
been upon, and we really seemed not to have les- 
sened the number of grouse on that moor at all. 
In some parts of Scotland, and especially in the 
north of England, where grouse are most plentiful, 



The Sbot-gtm and its Handling 21 

it is useless to try and shoot them over dogs. 
They are as difficult to get at as prairie-chickens 
after they have packed, and rise far out of shot. 

On these moors, therefore, the only way in 
which grouse are ever shot is by driving the birds 
over the shooters' heads. There are other moors 
where grouse will lie to dogs only at the begin- 
ning of the season. Later you must drive them, 
or leave them alone. 

On some moors the sportsmen only drive the 
birds, preferring that kind of shooting to walking 
and shooting to dogs, for any one of the following 
three reasons or for all three : ist. That shooting 
driven grouse is much more difficult than shoot- 
ing them over dogs. 2d. That if a man cannot 
spare much time for shooting, he can kill more in 
two days' driving than he could in several days' 
shooting over dogs. 3d. That walking up grouse 
is, even on the easiest moors, hard work, and on 
some rough, hilly moors very hard work indeed — 
sometimes a blazing sun, sometimes wet to the 
skin, almost always with feet wet when you come 
to a boggy part, which is frequently. This is 
work that an elderly or a stout or a sickly man 
does not care to encounter; whereas, in driving, 
he can ride a pony to the spot where he takes his 



22 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

stand, and here, until the drive is over, he can keep 
well wrapped up and have dry feet, and even sit 
down all the time if so inclined ; and he does not 
spoil any other person's sport, as would be the 
case if he were lagging behind and keeping the 
party waiting on a stiff bit of ground. 

On the first of September partridge shooting 
commences. 

Grouse shooting is almost entirely confined to 
the wealthier classes, but all classes except the 
daily laborer, who can never afford to fire a gun in 
a country where the agricultural rate of wages is 
as low as it is in England, try to have a few days' 
partridge shooting, and great is the banging all 
over the country on the first of September. 

The weather is then usually hot, and the broods 
of partridges are easily driven, even if they have 
not already gone there of their own accord, to fields 
where there is not only shade from the sun but also 
cover from all enemies. These are chiefly fields 
of root crops, such as turnips, mangel-wurzel, or 
carrots, which are grown as food for cattle and 
sheep during the winter. Of course there are oc- 
casionally at the commencement of the shooting 
season, especially in the northern parts of Great 
Britain, fields here and there of grain, such as 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 23 

wheat, oats, and barley, still uncut. This happens 
when the summer has been wet and cold and the 
grain late in ripening, for it must be remembered 
that the cereals grown in England and in Scotland 
do not ripen with the same rapidity that they do 
in this country, but of course one would not think 
of following partridges into standing wheat, bar- 
ley, or oats. Times in England are hard enough 
for the farmers without having their crops trodden 
down by shooters and their attendants. 

When I was a boy partridge shooting was as 
different as possible from what it is now. In those 
days the scythe was used on all cereal crops, leav- 
ing the stubble on the field knee high, and afford- 
ing splendid cover for game of all sorts. Then 
setters or pointers were always kept and made use 
of; now very seldom indeed. The reaping ma- 
chines introduced in late years leave the stubble 
fields as bare as a lawn. These must be walked 
over, for it is in them that the birds get their 
food, grain that is left on the ground and young 
clover forming quite a proportion of the partridge's 
diet. While the birds are on such stubble one 
rarely gets a shot until they have been driven to 
cover of another sort. Occasionally beaters are 
sent out to walk the stubbles and drive the birds 



24 Guns, Ammtmitiaii, and Tackle 

to cover before the shooting party arrives, but the 
rule is that the entire party do this work themselves. 

Partridge driving is day by day growing more 
the custom, but where this is done it is rare for 
the partridges to be disturbed at all until well on 
in October, when all the latest broods are full 
grown and strong on the wing. 

The other way of shooting them is to form a 
line as you go into each field, with intervals be- 
tween the shooters, loaders with second guns 
(when they are used), and the keepers with re- 
trievers following close behind. This line never 
stops until the field is worked out, keepers and 
their assistants, both biped and quadruped, mark- 
ing where each bird falls and picking it up as 
the line passes the spot. As each man shoots he 
either takes his other gun from his loader without 
a pause or reloads as he moves on, keeping his 
place in the line. This line is under the direction 
of one man, usually the head keeper, who wheels 
it first one way and then the other, like a regi- 
ment of soldiers, so that each part of the field they 
are then in is walked over and the birds put up. 

The use of pointers and setters in English 
shooting of to-day is chiefly confined to wilder 
parts of the country where there is rough shoot- 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 25 

ing and where the coveys of birds are few and far 
between. 

On the first of October pheasant shooting com- 
mences legally, and from then on pheasants can 
always be found in the market, but as the leaf has 
not then begun to fall and the birds have not got 
their full growth and plumage, few people allow 
them to be shot or care to shoot them until later 
in the year when the leaf is off. 

Pheasant shooting nowadays is all driving. 
The guns, who may number anything, from four 
to eight as a rule, are placed forward at both sides 
and at the end of the wood or piece of wood which 
is to be beaten. A small army of men, each fur- 
nished with a good ash stick with which to tap 
on the trees in order to make a noise and on the 
brambles and bushes in order to drive out the 
game crouching under them, advance in a regular 
line toward the shooters, driving everything be- 
fore them. Everything here means first and 
foremost pheasants, then hares, rabbits, and an 
occasional woodcock. 

The majority of the pheasants prefer running 
on ahead of the line of beaters till they realize 
that they can get no farther, when they usually 
rush wildly about, getting more and more alarmed 



26 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

each moment, till the near approach of the beaters 
forces them to rise, when they dash out in a head- 
long flight, twisting and rising high, or rocketing, 
as it is called, in their endeavor to avoid the guns 
below, and giving much harder shooting than the 
same birds would have furnished had they been 
put up by dogs or walked up quietly by a few per- 
sons going through the cover. Of course they do 
not all run forward, but now and again an occa- 
sional bird rises and seeks safety and quiet ahead 
of the beaters. Pheasants will seldom fly back if 
the line is well kept. 

I think I am right in saying that the greater 
number of pheasants shot in England have been 
reared by hand. To the uninitiated, this would 
imply that these so-called tame birds would differ 
materially from those hatched out and brought 
up by the hen pheasant herself, but experience 
shows this not to be the case, and he would be a 
clever man indeed who could ever detect any 
difference, either in appearance or in the flight, 
when once well on the wing, of the wild or 
hand-reared birds. As the guns are always 
placed some distance from the cover, no birds are 
consequently shot at until they are well on the 
wing. 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 27 

Pheasants are so loath to fly unless they are com- 
pelled to do so, and are so prone to running from 
one part of the cover to another, that it is usu- 
ally necessary, especially in large woods, to have 
a number of boys stand in line at the sides to 
head off these running birds, and thus keep them 
in front of the line of beaters. These boys have 
a pair of sticks, one in each hand, which they 
keep tapping together the whole time, until the 
drive is over. The technical term for boys so 
employed is "stops." 

There are many reasons why it is necessary to 
bring up pheasants by hand, i.e. to place the eggs 
under hens, and afterward to let them run with 
their foster mothers until they are fully grown 
and can fend for themselves. These are, first, 
that you could never get what is nowadays called 
a properly stocked covert from wild reared birds 
alone ; they would stray away elsewhere, to seek 
some spot for their nest where they had not so 
much company in the shape of others of their 
own kind. Secondly, pheasants are very fond of 
nesting in a growing crop of grass, clover, etc., 
which would have to be cut before the young 
birds were out of the nests, and numberless 
eggs and chicks would be destroyed by the 



28 Guns, Ammmiition, and Tackle 

mowing machine. Thirdly, the pheasant appears 
to take pleasure in making her nest near a foot- 
path or road, or wherever she is most likely 
to be disturbed and driven off, or to have the 
eggs carried off by poachers, children, dogs, 
etc. 

For these reasons it is usual on estates to have 
keepers and helpers on the lookout for nests, who, 
as soon as they find one with its complement of 
eggs, take the latter to the hennery, where a 
supply of hens, anxious to sit, are kept in stock 
for the purpose of hatching the pheasant eggs. 
It is commonly estimated that one pound repre- 
sents the cost of a pheasant to the owner of an 
estate, by the time it is shot, where there is strict 
preserving ; this includes rearing, feeding, watch- 
ing night and day, and all the incidental expenses 
connected with the keeping up of a good head of 
game on the property. 

No bird is so easy to poach as a pheasant. He 
roosts at night, not very high, on a larch tree for 
choice, and the cock birds, when ascending to 
roost, proclaim to the whole neighborhood, in 
most unmistakable terms, just where they and 
their hens can be found. A number roost on 
the same tree, like barn-door fowl, where, on 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 29 

anything but a dark night, it is easy to see their 
large bodies outlined against the sky. 

What a different state of things prevails in 
America. When you feel inclined to go out 
shooting, you do not have to take out a license, 
and you do not need to wait until some friend 
asks you to make one of his party, and that prob- 
ably for one day only. You are not limited to 
shooting in just this or that one spot, but can 
take your choice, and go north, south, east, or 
west, as fancy or the prospect of game tempts 
you. There is a delightful freedom about it all 
that immensely increases the enjoyment. Then, 
perhaps, also you are camping out, with all the 
charms of that sort of life. 

You do not have to study your dress very par- 
ticularly, as long as it is workmanlike and fit for 
the season of the year, and no one will criticise 
what you have on, especially if it looks as if it 
already had done good service. Again, you are 
shooting at game that has all the charm of being 
absolutely wild, not brought up in coops and fed 
by hand ; not counted over every day by the 
keeper to see if any tom-cat or fox prowling 
round has made a meal of some of them. Others 
are free to shoot them as well as yourself, and 



-30 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

you have the incentive of wishing to get your 
share. 

You may, if you do not know the ground well, 
perhaps take a guide with you, but you can do as 
you choose, whereas in England you must do as 
you are told. There you do not handle your own 
dogs; you do not, usually, where there is what 
is called " good shooting," load your own gun, or 
carry it, except when you expect a shot. You pay 
some one else to do all this for you, and, unless 
you are on your own property, you have no choice, 
but must do as the others do. Even as to dress, 
it must not be too much worn, or too much soiled, 
but you must appear very much as you would if 
going into ladies' society at a golf club. And 
who ever heard, in England, of having a shoot- 
ing-coat with pockets for carrying your game. 

All shooting has a charm about it to a sports- 
man, and I am not saying that I have not had the 
keenest enjoyment out of many a day in England 
with the gun, but to my mind it does not, and 
never has, compared with shooting where there is 
nothing artificial, and where you can do as you 
please ; begin when you like, leave off when you 
like; go where you like, and eat when you feel 
inclined; carry your own gun, load it yourself, 



Tbe Shot-gun and its Handling 31 

and be content to use one only; own your own 
dogs, and work them yourself, and carry your 
own game, as done in America. 

It seems to me that in the one case a man is a 
sportsman, and in the other, a game shot only. 

I have been comparing game shooting as it 
exists to-day in America with game shooting in 
England, and trying to show why an American 
ought to be a better shot than an Englishman, 
and have given several reasons why it should be 
so. But so far I have said nothing of the differ- 
ence between the flight of English and American 
game, and in this I consider lies one great factor 
in the case. 

There is no game bird in England that is 
nearly as difficult to kill as the ruffed grouse of 
America, where that bird has been at all shot at 
and has learned to distrust the man with a gun. 
This is especially true where, as in New Jersey 
and Pennsylvania, these birds are chiefly found 
on rocky hills covered with timber, and on ground 
which is constantly overrun by rabbit hunters, for 
the ruffed grouse and the rabbit love the same 
ground. 

Neither is there, to my mind, any bird in Eng- 
land which is as difficult to kill as the American 



32 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

quail. These are the birds which teach a man 
how to shoot, and if he can shoot them well, he 
need not be afraid of any other kind of game. 

English snipe, as they are called in America, are 
not easy shooting, except in places where they are 
very tame. They are to be found in much greater 
numbers here than in England, therefore an Amer- 
ican shooter can have much more practice at them. 

Duck shootinsf is much the same in both coun- 
tries, the flight of the bird being practically the 
same in England as in America, but of course 
they are to be found in this country in much 
greater quantities than in England. The English 
do not do anything in the way of shooting ducks 
over decoys, a sport which tests the shooter's skill 
to the utmost, especially if he is lying down in a 
sink box or battery, and has to raise himself to a 
sitting posture before he can shoot. 

What may prevent a Man from becoming a 

Really Good Shot — Selection of 

Gun — Ammunition, etc. 

So much has been written about guns and 
shooting, especially of late years, that it would 
almost seem as if there was nothing fresh to be 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 33 

said on the subject. Yet hardly a day passes 
when shooting is going on and several shooters 
are together that one does not hear first one point 
and then another discussed, with no one, perhaps, 
appearing to have any very definite idea as to the 
true answer to the question which has been raised. 
This is especially the case with regard to the 
reasons for the misses, which even with the very 
best shots will occur now and then, and it is a 
question of such great interest to all shooters, 
from the very worst to the very best, that I propose 
to point out the chief reasons why a man misses 
and how he may cure the weakness. 

A moment's thought will show that the fault 
may either lie with the shooter himself, with his 
gun, or with his ammunition. 

First, as to the shooter's own possible fault. 
Much depends upon a man's attitude and balance 
when in the act of shooting. As far as possible 
the whole body should be flexible and evenly bal- 
anced, from the sole of the foot to the crown of the 
head. Of course a man out after game cannot 
always choose the moment at which he will be 
called upon to shoot, and therefore cannot always 
have his body in the best position. But very often 
he can, as when standing in a blind waiting for 



34 Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 

wild-fowl, or when waiting for game to flush 
which his dogs have pointed. Nothing will so 
quickly show the necessity for acquiring the right 
way of holding the body when in the act of shoot- 
ing than shooting at some clay pigeons or targets, 
thrown from a set of traps in such a way that you 
neither know where the target is coming from nor 
the direction it is going to take until it springs 
into view. This is one way target-shooting helps 
to make a good game shot. 

Having got the right position, study to shoot 
in good time, neither too fast nor too slow. Be 
ready to snap as quick as lightning at a bird rising 
wild or in thick cover where only a momentary 
glimpse can be had of the object, but, on the other 
hand, never shoot too quickly at an object that is 
so close to you that your shot has not time to 
spread. Keep the head well up and both eyes 
open, so that you can see all that is going on and 
get in a good and quick second barrel if necessity 
requires. Keeping the head down low or shutting 
one eye are both faults of which no really good 
game shot is ever guilty. 

The position of the hands when shooting should 
also be studied. The grasp of the stock with the 
right hand should be very firm, the thumb well 



The Shot-gtm and its Handling 35 

over the grip. The right hand guides the gun 
more than most shooters are aware of, and if not 
firmly grasping the grip, is not able to do so prop- 
erly. A loose grip also is the common cause of 
flinching, that most uncomfortable but prolific 
cause of misses. Another reason for the very firm 
grasp with the right hand is that then both hands 
take a great deal of the recoil off the shoulder, and 
may prevent a sore shoulder at the end of a hard 
day's shooting, or a sore middle or index finger. 
The left hand should not be extended too far, or 
the shooter will find himself handicapped when 
aiming at an object coming quickly toward him. 
On the other hand, if held too far back, he will be 
less likely to hit an object going away from him 
or crossing. 

Some men depend entirely upon the swing of 
the gun when shooting at crossing birds, whilst 
others depend altogether too much upon judging 
the correct distance to lead them, whereas the 
very best shots combine both swing and lead. 

The heel of the stock must rest squarely against 
the same part of the shoulder every time, or regular 
shooting is impossible. When in the act of firing 
his gun, the shooter has no time to look down the 
rib to see that his eye is aligned truly down the 



36 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

centre. If it is not, and he is, as it were, looking 
across the rib, a miss is sure to follow. If your gun 
is thrown to your shoulder so that you are point- 
ing straight at a stationary object, or if it is a 
moving one at the proper point to be intercepted, 
and yet if your eye is not looking truly down the 
centre of the rib, but from the right side of it, 
you will surely shoot too much to the right; if 
the contrary, too much to the left. In the same 
way, if the stock is low on the shoulder one 
time and high up another, in the first instance 
your shot will strike higher than is intended, and 
in the second lower. 

A good shot will watch, every time he fires, 
whether he has centred the object he fires at; 
and if not, will note whether he hit it too far back, 
too far forward, too high, or too low, and will try 
to correct his fault next time. A poor shot, so 
long as he brings his game to bag, thinks nothing 
of such fine points as this, and so next time, per- 
haps, is still a little more off his mark, and misses 
it altogether. 

I now come to the faults in the gun itself, which 
may prevent good shooting. 

Any good shot can take any kind of a gun and 
kill a certain percentage of the game he shoots at 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 37 

with it, but to be sure of doing himself justice, a 
good shot requires a gun which suits him ; or, in 
other words, a gun which, when he throws it to 
his shoulder, at once points where he wants it to, 
without any apparent aiming on his part. The 
shooter has enough to do in measuring in his 
mind's eye the required elevation, lead, and, in 
case of a high wind, allowance for drift of shot, to 
be occupied also in looking along the barrels to 
see if the alignment of the gun is correct. 

It therefore follows, that if the gun is not well 
balanced, if the stock is too crooked or too 
straight ; too much cast off or on, or not enough 
of either ; too long or too short ; too thin or too 
thick where it rests against the cheek ; the heel 
too much sloped ; the grip too large or too small ; 
or if the rib on the gun is not the kind that suits 
him, — and there is more difference in ribs than 
most shooters have any idea of, — some are flush 
with the barrels, some are sunk, some are hollow, 
some are flat, some have a dip in the middle, and 
others run true with the barrels from breech to 
muzzle, some are plain, and some checkered ; or 
if the sight is not just right, too large or too small; 
or in the case of the boring of the gun, making 
the pattern too close, or the reverse (depending 



38 Guns, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

upon what kind of shooting the gun is required 
for); or if the gun is badly bored, so that you get 
a very close pattern one time, and a very open one 
another, or a stringing pattern, i.e. some of the 
charge reaching the mark before the rest ; or 
(and here is a point few shooters know of) if the 
striker, or firing-pin, is too short; or if the main- 
spring is weak, so that, although your gun does 
not actually miss fire, yet the ignition of the primer 
is not full and instantaneous, and the result a slow, 
weak shot or hang-fire, — any one of these causes 
will be sufficient to affect your shooting to a 
greater or less degree. 

But over and above all these, in my estimation, 
is the pull-off of your trigger. Some men like a 
heavy, some a light, and some a medium pull-off. 
No one can shoot really well with a pull-off that 
does not suit him, and that does not answer at 
once to the finger in place of having a drag, which 
is quite a different thing to its being too heavy. 
Also remember that the pull-off of all guns will 
vary from use, some growing lighter and some 
harder, and it is very necessary, occasionally, to 
have the pull-off tested to see if it has changed. 
The pull-off of the second barrel should never be 
less than four pounds, or it may at any time jar 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 39 

off when the first barrel is fired, but three pounds 
is sufficient for the first barrel for most people. 

In speaking of a gun being well balanced, it 
must not be taken for granted that the same bal- 
ance will suit every shooter, and a man must find 
out for himself just what suits him best. Much 
depends on the way in which he holds his gun, 
especially with regard to the position of the left 
hand. The weight of the gun and the shape of 
the fore end also affect the question of balance, 
and, to my way of thinking, it is one of the hard- 
est points to determine in choosing a gun. In 
this, as in most other matters, it is best, usually, 
to hit off the happy medium. A gun that is 
muzzle heavy will be very likely to make you 
shoot low on birds, but at the same time it 
steadies your swing when shooting at game mov- 
ing fast to right or left, therefore use a gun which 
is neither too light nor too heavy in the muzzle. 

As to the bend of stock, if it is too much bent 
it will make you shoot too low ; if not enough, it 
will make you shoot too high. Therefore, in 
choosing the bend of your stock, you must bear 
these two points in mind, and, as in other cases, 
hit off the happy medium, remembering, however, 
that it is better to have a gun too straight rather 



40 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

than too crooked ; for it is far easier when in the 
act of firing to depress a gun than to raise it, and 
nine-tenths of the game missed is under, not over, 
shot. 

The question of too much " cast off," as it is 
usually called, or, as it should be called, "cast on," 
i.e. the heel of the stock being slightly thrown 
outward from the body, so that the breech of the 
gun comes nearer in under the eye, has been a 
very vexed one for many a year. The tendency 
of shooters, in this country especially, seems to be 
toward using a gun without any "cast off" or 
"cast on," but perfectly straight from centre of 
heel and toe of butt to centre of rib at muzzle ; 
and I believe it is the best plan, and for a long 
time past have had all my guns built in that way, 
and have shot better in consequence. 

If the stock is too long, it will hamper you in 
throwing the gun to your shoulder quickly and 
unexpectedly, a thing which in game shooting 
must frequently occur, and a long stock is unsuit- 
able for snap shooting, shooting in a cramped po- 
sition, or at an object coming toward you. If it 
is too short, it will not come into the same spot in 
your shoulder each time as it should do. If too 
thin, and I think stocks are usually made too thin, 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 41 

on the side next the cheek, you are handicapped 
by not having that proper rest for your cheek 
which is a great assistance in shooting. If the 
heel of the stock is too much sloped, the gun is 
likely sometimes to slip down from the shoulder 
after firing the first barrel and prevent your put- 
ting in a good second. 

As to the grip of the stock, some men shoot 
much better with a larger and some with a smaller 
one. The smaller one gives the handsomest look 
to the stock, but is more liable to get broken. I 
have seen the stock of a gun, more than once in 
my experience, break off at the grip only from the 
recoil of the gun when fired. A small grip, how- 
ever, suits most people, especially in a light gun 
and when intended for game shooting or any- 
where that quick snap-shots are expected. 

Just what sort of rib suits a man best is very 
hard to say. I have seldom met a man who ex- 
pressed any great preference for one pattern or 
another; but I know that as regards my own 
shooting the rib will have more to do with it than 
almost anything else, and I believe this to be the 
case very often, only it is not a point that has 
been taken up much by handlers of guns, and 
when they find they cannot shoot well with this 



42 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

or that gun, they attribute the fault to almost 
anything except the rib. No good shot, so far as 
he knows, either closes one eye or looks along the 
rib, and theoretically as regards his shooting this 
or that rib should make no kind of difference. I 
say theoretically, but practically it does, as I have 
proved to myself and others beyond any doubt. 

Some ribs when you look along them, aiming 
in cold blood at a stationary object, appear to 
keep your eye nolens voleiis along the very centre 
between the two barrels, whilst others appear to 
do the very reverse. 

Now as to the pattern your gun makes. Noth- 
ing is more absurd than to go into the field for 
all-round field-shooting with a gun which is full 
choked in both barrels. The best shot in the 
world could not make good shooting with such a 
gun at any game which, as in the case of quail 
and woodcock especially, has usually to be shot 
at distances varying from fifteen to thirty yards ; 
yet many men try to do it. Even if the gun is 
not full choked, yet with one so bored that it 
makes a close pattern at forty yards, if the game 
is killed it is terribly mangled, and some of it not 
fit for use. 

A game gun for all ordinary shooting and with 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 43 

an ordinary game load should at thirty yards scat- 
ter the shot equally all over a thirty-inch circle, 
leaving no space where a bird as large as a quail 
could have escaped. But that same gun is not 
a close enough shooter for wild-fowl or ruffed 
grouse when these are at all wild. 

In testing a gun to see what pattern it makes, 
do not be satisfied with firing a few shots with 
one sized shot only. It frequently happens that 
a gun will pattern well with, say. No. 7 shot, and 
will make a most indifferent one with a size larger 
or smaller. A well-bored gun should pattern 
well and evenly with all sizes of shot. 

It is also common to find a gun which will per- 
haps make several very nice, evenly distributed 
patterns in succession, and the next time give 
such an open or patchy one that no matter how 
straight it was pointed the object shot at would 
very likely escape through the gaps left between 
the pellets. 

As far as I know, no exhaustive and scientific 
experiments have ever been carried out with a 
view of showing why one gun or one load will 
string the charge of shot so much more than 
another. 

Mr. Griffith, in England, carried out experi- 



44 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

ments to elucidate this point some years ago, on a 
circular revolving plate, but I believe his apparatus 
broke down before he had gone very far in his 
trials, and I have never heard of their being re- 
peated by any one else. These experiments 
showed that there was stringing to a much greater 
extent than was generally supposed, but failed to 
prove the cause or discover a remedy. 

That some guns do throw the charge of shot, 
or a very large percentage of it, so that at forty 
yards the greater number of pellets reach the ob- 
ject fired at simultaneously, whilst others send a 
few pellets in advance and the rest come in a 
more or less lengthy string behind, cannot be 
doubted ; also that certain shells will act in the 
same way, even when fired from a gun which, with 
different ammunition, reduced this stringing to a 
minimum. 

You may test your gun for pattern at a fixed 
metal target, and the result is most satisfactory: 
the pellets are evenly distributed, and on counting 
them you find the percentage of those in the 
thirty-inch circle all that you can wish ; but on 
close examination you will see that a good many 
of these pellets have not struck nearly as hard as 
the others, this being shown by the larger splash 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 45 

made by some ; and if you carry your examination 
still farther, you will find evidence that only a 
moderate percentage struck the target first, and 
that the remainder came up in an extended 
string. This means that the first pellets had the 
most velocity (and therefore penetration), whilst 
the rest had less velocity and less penetration, 
and yet these had all made their mark on the tar- 
get and produced the pattern which until you 
analyzed it looked so satisfactory. But it also 
means that if you were firing at a very rapidly 
moving object, that object would only have been 
struck by the few pellets that came first, which 
might have been altogether insufficient to kill it 
outright. 

The moral of this is, beware of a gun or load 
which strings the charge of shot. 

Another bad feature in a gun or a load, which 
is very often present, is the shot balling, i.e. sev- 
eral shot, perhaps three or four, or perhaps thirty 
or forty in bad cases, are driven together into one 
solid mass whilst the charge is passing up the 
barrel. 

Not only does such a mass of shot travel faster 
than the individual pellets composing the charge, 
but it is probable that these masses are formed by 



46 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

the shot in the rear, and therefore as the whole 
charge emerges from the muzzle these balled shot 
pass through, knocking other pellets right and 
left, and producing a patchy pattern and perhaps 
causing you to miss what you have shot at. 

These balled shot travel very long distances 
and have been the cause of many so-called unac- 
countable accidents. A shooter should always 
bear in mind that balling is not of uncommon oc- 
currence, and never fire in the direction of human 
beings, buildings, etc., although such may be well 
beyond the range of ordinary shot. 

A case occurred at the Gun Club, London, 
some years ago, which exemplified this very forci- 
bly. The ground is surrounded by an eight-foot 
fence or wall made of slabs of concrete, with no 
openings in front of the traps. The wall is eighty 
yards from the traps. The adjoining field is used 
as a cricket ground, and a lad standing in that 
field at least thirty yards from the wall had one of 
his eyes shot out by what must have been a balled 
shot fired in the club grounds. The boy could 
not have been less than one hundred and thirty 
yards from the shooter, and perhaps a good deal 
more. 

Experiments have shown that this balling may 



The Shot-gim and its Handling 47 

be caused either by the shoulder of the shell 
chamber being too abrupt, or by very hard wad- 
ding, or lastly by powder which ignited too rap- 
idly and caused the charge of shot to move up the 
barrel too rapidly. 

Any one of these may cause balling, and they 
may all exist at the same time, in which case the 
balling would become excessive. 

Mr. W. W. Greener, the well-known English 
gun-maker, in his book on " Modern Shotguns," 
at page 79, says, " Occasional bad patterns or 
patchy patterns prove the gun to be improperly 
bored." Mr. Greener being himself a practical 
gun-maker, should know better than most people 
whether this is the case or not. Yet I cannot 
agree with him altogether in this statement, for I 
have often seen a gun make such patterns from 
faulty ammunition alone, where the blame could 
not be laid on the gun. 

Ammunition 

I will now pass on to the defects which may be 
and often are found in ammunition, and which 
when they exist may be as fatal to good and regu- 
lar shooting as any fault in the shooter himself or 
in his gun. 



48 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

The length of the shell used should always fit 
the chamber of the gun ; a two and three-quarters 
inch shell used in a gun only bored for a two 
and five-eighths shell, the usual length for game 
shooting, may give very irregular shooting, and 
more so if a still longer shell is used. This is 
not, however, always found to be the case, and 
I have come across some guns which would pat- 
tern better with a longer case than the chamber 
was bored to receive. 

If too much pressure has been put upon the 
powder during loading, a greater degree of lateral 
pressure will be set up ; there will be a louder re- 
port, more recoil, less penetration, and irregular 
patterns. The proper amount of pressure varies 
with different makes of powder ; but as a general 
rule the powder should be slightly compressed, so 
that if the wadding is removed and the shell held 
upside down, no powder will run out till it has 
been gently disturbed with a penknife or some- 
thing of that sort; at the same time it should not 
be necessary to dig the powder out, and none of 
the grains should be broken. If, on the other 
hand, the powder is not compressed at all, but is 
loose in the shell, slow and imperfect ignition will 
follow, with great loss of penetration. With nitro 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 49 

powders, as all the powders of the present day are 
called, since black powder went out, killed by its 
own noise and smoke, much depends on the wad- 
ding used. The amount of wadding is not of so 
much consequence as that it should fit very tightly 
into the shell first and the barrel of the gun after- 
ward. One of the best shots in the world, as well 
as one of the most practical shooters I ever met, 
has all his ammunition loaded with at least one 
ten-bore wad, though his guns are all twelve-bore. 
It is, however, extremely difHcult to press down a 
wadding which is so many sizes larger than the 
shell without a risk of having it tilt at one side or 
the other, which is sure to give ragged patterns, 
or of bulging the case, which makes it difficult to 
get the shell into the gun or extract it after firing. 

I never use a larger wad than eleven, and con- 
sider eleven and a half quite large enough for all 
practical purposes. 

Some people like a thick, hard wad, like the 
" Express " ; but I have seen so many guns bulged 
at the muzzle by the use of such wadding, that I 
would never use it ; and there is also a danger 
of the heavy, hard wad deflecting much of the 
charge of shot, producing bad pattern. All hard 
wadding is likely to produce poor pattern, and 



50 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

that means poor shooting in the long run. If the 
wadding is insufficient in quantity, or too small, 
it allows the gas, as it begins to form from the 
ignition, to escape past it and penetrate the shot 
charge, sending it in every direction but the right 
one. If the first wad over the powder is ever 
allowed to go down edgeways, a weak shot will 
be the result. 

The crimp of the shell materially affects the 
shooting of a gun. If there is not enough crimp 
to hold the top wad firmly over the shot, there will 
be loss of velocity and penetration. If there is 
an undue amount of crimp, there will be uneven 
patterns. 

Some people fancy a round crimp, and some a 
square, but experiments show that one is the same 
as the other as regards actual results. 

If either the fulminate in the primer or the 
powder in the charge has been affected by 
moisture, the result will be a weak discharge and 
loss of velocity; but a charge of powder is still 
more affected and rendered useless if shells are 
kept even for a short time in such a hot place 
that the grease which is in the paper of the shell 
is melted sufficiently to be absorbed in ever so 
slight a degree by the powder; standing in a hot 



The Sbot-gmi and its Handling 51 

sun will soon do this. If there is any fault in the 
primer of the shell, it is fatal to regular shooting. 

All nitro powders require a strong, hot flash 
from the primer to ignite them thoroughly and 
produce proper combustion. A weak primer 
means slow combustion of powder and conse- 
quent weak action in propelling the shot. On 
the other hand, too much fulminate or too strong 
a primer means too rapid ignition of the powder, 
and causes loss of velocity and poor pattern. 

If the class of cheap shells now on the market 
is carefully examined, it will be found that in 
some cases the flash hole of the primer is par- 
tially or wholly stopped up by part of the paper 
forming the base of the shell. In every such case 
a misfire or imperfect combustion is sure to fol- 
low. The same must happen even with the best 
shells if any foreign substance has fallen into the 
flash hole. 

Very few shooters have any idea how much the 
quality of the shot they are using may affect their 
shooting. It is easy to understand that shot that 
is irregular in size or shape would give irregular 
and poor patterns ; but not only is that the case, 
but the harder the shot is, the closer will be your 
pattern, as well as the more regular. Even with 



52 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

chilled shot, some is much harder than others, 
and it is invariably the case that the hardest 
chilled shot will give closer and more even pat- 
terns than another make which is not quite so 
hard ; and the difference is greater than any one 
who has not tried it would imagine possible. 
When you come down to soft shot, the difference 
is even more apparent, and you may have your 
gun loaded with most perfectly regular shot as to 
size and shape, which will yet give such poor pat- 
terns that you may easily find yourself missing 
shots without any apparent reason. The expla- 
nation of this is, that the shot is flattened in pass- 
ing up the barrel, in proportion to its softness. 

Much has been written on shooting, but this is 
a fast age, and what was true of guns, ammuni- 
tion, and shooting yesterday, requires modifying 
and adding to to-day if we intend to keep up 
with the times we live in. 

There are, I believe, very few shooters who 
would not wish, no matter how perfect they are 
already, to be able to do still better; and amongst 
all the good shots I have met, I have never yet 
come across the man who was not trying to find 
out some way of avoiding that inevitable miss that 
will put in its unwelcome appearance now and then. 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 53 

It is probable that few, if any men living, have 
burned up more ammunition, shot a greater vari- 
ety of game, and handled more guns than I have, 
in the field and at the traps, or in experimenting 
at a stationary target, with all kinds of ammuni- 
tion, and in these articles I am endeavoring to 
give to others, in as practical a form as possible, 
the result of my experience. 

At the present time, in this country, there is a 
great demand for lighter guns and smaller bores, 
and many are becoming advocates of guns with 
only one trigger. 

As to lighter guns and smaller bores, I, like 
many others, caught the infection some twenty 
years ago, when there was a strong move in Eng- 
land in that direction. I had twenty-bores and 
sixteen-bores, but gradually I, like every one else 
I knew, came to the conclusion that for all-round 
shooting, and to get the most that could be got 
out of a gun, there was nothing to beat the me- 
dium weight. No. 12 bore. 

The same may be said about length of barrel, 
— twenty-six, twenty-eight, thirty, and thirty-two. 
Each has had its advocates, but thirty inches 
stands as the standard and most useful all-round 
length. 



54 Gtms, Ammimition, and Tackle 

As to the single trigger action on a gun, which 
is being pushed very hard at the present time, 
theoretically it ought to be a vast improvement 
on the old-time action, and at one time I was per- 
suaded that it was only necessary for a man to 
get used to handling one of these guns to beat 
anything he had ever done before. I remained 
unconvinced that I was wrong for nearly two 
years, despite repeated failures, and spent much 
money on this new fad ; but, like every good shot 
I know who has tried them, I went back to the 
old two triggers, and I am fully assured that even 
if the action were quite perfect, and as little liable 
to fail as the two triggers, that there is no real 
benefit to be gained, but rather the reverse. 

An undoubted weakness in American-made 
guns, which are otherwise so good, is the rough 
finish and poor quality of the locks, as compared 
with English-made guns of a good grade, and I 
hope to see the time come soon when this will be 
remedied. Not only is it of great consequence to 
a shooter that his lock should not get out of order, 
or the pull-off vary, but the quicker the action, 
i.e. the less interval there is between the press- 
ure of the finger on the trigger and the blow of 
the striker on the primer, the more likely you are 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 55 

to hit the object aimed at. The advent of the 
chronograph has taught us many things that we 
only surmised before, and one of these is, that this 
interval is an appreciable quantity and should be 
lessened as much as possible. To show how 
much this may be the case, I will here mention, 
what is a clearly demonstrable fact, that to hit an 
object which is crossing you at right angles forty 
yards away, and moving at only the very slow 
rate (for a bird's flight) of forty miles an hour, you 
must make the centre of your shot strike eight 
feet ahead of that object, or, owing to the interval 
after pulling the trigger, and allowing for the 
time it takes for the charge of shot to reach forty 
yards, the bird, or whatever you shot at, will have 
passed on, and your charge will strike behind it. 
Some makes of guns are appreciably quicker in 
the lock action than others, and hammerless guns 
are usually quicker than those made with hammers. 
Such lamentable accidents are continually hap- 
pening with guns from careless handling or from 
the want of a true knowledge of where the danger 
comes from, that a few words on this subject can- 
not be out of place. The breech-loading gun is 
unquestionably safer than the muzzle-loader, and 
the hammerless safer than the gun with hammers. 



56 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

It is true that with a hammer gun you can 
always see that it is cocked, when the hammer is 
raised ; but the same hammers are an endless 
cause of accident from catching in a bush, etc., 
or from escaping from under the shooter's thumb 
when in the act of cocking or uncocking ; this is 
especially the case on a cold day, when the hands 
are stiff with cold. 

The most fruitful source of accidents with 
guns arises from shooters having too much confi- 
dence in their guns never doing anything they 
should not. Thus, a man has closed his gun 
hundreds of times and never known it to go off 
in the act of closing, and yet it is quite possible 
that this may happen at any time. Always, there- 
fore, be specially careful in closing your gun that 
the muzzle is not pointing toward any person. 
Also be careful when closing a loaded gun to 
have a sufficiently strong hold of it, so that if one 
barrel does go off, the gun will not fly out of your 
hand from the recoil. I saw this nearly end in a 
fatal accident once, when one barrel of the gun 
of an old sportsman and well-known game shot 
standing near me went off as he closed it after 
loading. The gun flew out of his hand, and the 
butt being the heaviest end struck the ground 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 57 

first, jarred off the other barrel, and sent the 
whole charge through the brim of the shooter's 
hat so close to his forehead that the skin was cut 
by the shot. 

Remember always that a loaded gun, no matter 
how good the action is, may go off at any moment 
either from being jarred off or even without a jar, 
if, as is always possible, a piece of grit, or metal, 
or any foreign substance has got into the lock 
action. 

A loaded gun, whether with the safety bolt on 
or not (for even safety bolts are liable to fail), 
should always be regarded as a danger, and in 
getting over a fence or any difficult spot, or when 
resting the gun against a tree, etc., or putting it 
down in a boat, the only really safe plan is to 
remove the cartridges for the time being. 

To show how much caution is required, and 
how common accidents with guns in the field are, 
I may mention that I have myself been shot 
three times, twice owing to gross carelessness on 
the part of my companions. Besides these times 
I have seen more men shot than I care to think 
about, and in one case fatally. 

Make it a rule never to shoot at game on the 
ground or flying low, unless you are positively 



58 Gims, Ammunition, and Tackle 

certain that there is no one in the line of fire. 
Don't take any chances, or, for the sake of killing 
one more quail, run the risk of killing or maiming 
a friend, it may be, or at any rate a fellow-creature. 

Whilst on the subject of danger let me say a 
word about guns bursting. 

Some people have an erroneous idea that since 
the advent of smokeless powders there have been 
more guns burst than used to be the case with 
black powder ; or, in other words, that smokeless 
powders are in themselves more dangerous than 
the old-time black. This most certainly is not 
the case. 

All good gunpowder of every description is 
very strong in its action or it would be of no use, 
and it must be used with discretion. Smokeless 
powders exert their greatest lateral or bursting 
pressure nearer the breech than is the case 
with black powder, and therefore this part of 
the gun should be always strong, and a gun which 
has not a good thickness of metal at and just in 
front of the cartridge chamber should be avoided. 
The tendency of manufacturers of smokeless 
powders of late has been to make the powders 
stronger, so that a smaller charge should do the 
same work that a larger charge of another make 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 59 

would do. Such powder is called condensed or 
" dense powder," as against the other kinds, which 
are termed "bulk" powders. In using a con- 
densed powder it is necessary to take even more 
precaution than with a bulk powder, to be sure 
that an extra quantity of it has not inadvertently 
been placed in the shell when loading, otherwise 
the action of such powders is just as safe as is 
the case with the bulk powders. 

Up to the present I have been treating of all- 
round game shooting, and guns and ammunition 
for the same. 

There are people who think that one kind of 
gun should be sufficient for all and every kind 
of shooting, and Mr. Teasdale-Buckell, in his 
work on guns and shooting, published 1900, at 
page 103, gives that as his opinion. This is per- 
fecdy true if a man is willing to be content with 
something less than the top notch ; but if he has 
the wish, as well as the ability, and also the spare 
cash at his disposal, to make himself as good or 
better than his neighbor at every kind of shoot- 
ing, he must not rest content with only one gun, 
no matter how well that suits him, any more than 
with using only one sized shot or one fixed load. 

One bend of gun, when you have found the 



6o Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

bend that suits you best, may perhaps do for most 
kinds of game shooting; but I have never seen 
the man yet who was a really good trap shot who 
did not use a straighter gun for that than he 
would choose to use on game, especially if the 
game was coming toward him, such as driven 
grouse or partridges in England, or flight-shoot- 
ing at wild-fowl in America. 

A very few years ago the majority of shooters 
in America were using very heavy and very much 
bent guns. To-day all that is changed. The 
schoolmaster, in the shape of trap-shooting at 
targets especially, has been abroad, and the gun 
in general use now is neither heavy nor bent. 
How this has come about will be explained later 
on, when we are speaking of this form of shooting 
and its effect on game shooting. A very heavy 
gun is an abomination for any kind of shooting, 
unless the object in having such a gun is to get 
the heaviest kind of load into it, with a view to 
shooting into flocks of birds and killing the 
greatest possible number, which is only done by 
market hunters and the like. A lighter gun can 
be handled and brought to bear on single birds 
so much quicker, that many more will be brought 
to bag in the long run with the lighter than with 



The Sbot-gun and its Handling 6i 

the heavier gun. On the other hand, for really 
good shooting a gun may easily be too light, and 
whilst everybody would prefer, through a long 
day's tramp, to carry a gun weighing six pounds 
or less, yet the average shot will find that he will 
miss fewer times, other things being equal, with a 
gun weighing six and one-half to seven pounds. 

This also is a lesson which I believe trap-shoot- 
ing has taught more than anything else. The 
lighter gun will shoot just as well and kill as far, 
but the extra weight is required to steady the 
swing, and it is easier to point, time after time, 
where you wish with the heavier, so long as you 
do not overdo it, than with the lighter guns. 
The same remarks apply to the length of barrel. 
Twenty-six and twenty-eight inch barrels are 
delicious to handle, but are not so easy to control 
as thirty inch, when swinging on or ahead of a 
quickly moving object. 

The moral to be deduced from the foregoing is 
this : if you are a believer in the theory that one 
gun should suffice for all your wants, and those 
wants are supposed to cover all kinds of game 
shooting, from the soft little woodcock that 
swishes up so quietly from under your very feet, 
to that grandest of birds, a wild turkey, then you 



62 Guns, Amnmnition, and Tackle 

should supply yourself with a twelve-bore ham- 
merless gun of medium weight, right barrel cylin- 
der, left full choke, an ejector with stock of 
medium bend, and be especially careful that you 
have one that will throw large or small sized shot 
equally well. But if you want to be on equal 
terms with others who have various guns for 
various kinds of shooting, then have the fol- 
lowing: — 

I St. A light twelve-bore hammerless ejector, 
with twenty-six or twenty-eight inch barrels, not 
weighing over six and one-half pounds, which will 
give a regular but open pattern with both barrels 
at thirty-five yards with small-sized shot. The 
stock should be rather more bent than you would 
have with guns which you intend to use on 
larger game, because you are going to use this 
gun chiefly on such game as quail and woodcock — 
birds that love cover, and where you want to keep 
your head up in shooting and snap at all sorts of 
shots, with perhaps occasionally only a momentary 
glimpse of what you are shooting at. Do not get 
a sixteen or twenty bore, because the grasp of 
these in your left hand is quite different to that of 
twelve-bores, and may spoil your shooting when 
you next use a twelve. The chambers should be 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 63 

bored only for a two and five-eighths inch shell, 
as you should never use anything but a light load 
with such a gun. 

2d. For all kinds of wild-fowl a man should 
have a gun which will carry a heavy load of both 
powder and shot. These birds are so protected 
by their thick plumage that if you do not wish to 
run the risk of maiming many a one that you 
shoot at but do not kill, you will use larger sized 
shot, according to the size of the game you are 
after, with a heavy charge of powder behind to 
drive it home. As most of this shooting is done 
in the open, where you have a full view of the 
object you are shooting at, your gun should be 
straighter than the ones you use in cover, the bar- 
rels should be thirty inch, and the gun weighing 
about eight pounds, with chambers bored for 
three-inch shells. Both barrels should be full 
choked. 

If ygu intend to shoot at the traps, either at live 
pigeons or clay targets, you will hardly be con- 
tent to use any one of these guns. Under the 
best rules governing trap-shooting you are not 
allowed to use a gun weighing more than eight 
pounds or of larger caliber than No. 12 gauge. 
This rule was made because it was found that in 



64 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

this form of shooting, at all events, a very heavy 
gun was an advantage according to a man's 
strength and power to handle it, so that if there 
was no limit made, a powerfully built man could, 
by using an extra heavy gun, have an advantage 
over a man of slighter physique. 

The reasons for this being so are plain. A man 
at the trap stands in readiness for it to be pulled 
when he gives the word, and may hold his gun up 
to his shoulder, or in any position he chooses, 
before calling " Pull." He knows pretty well 
where the object he is going to shoot at will start 
from, and just how far away from him it is at the 
moment it starts. If he is shooting at live pig- 
eons, he must not only kill the bird he shoots at, 
but he must kill it so dead that it is unable to 
cross the boundary line, which is sometimes a 
fence, but more often a low wire boundary less 
than three feet high. This boundary is seldom, 
if ever, more than fifty yards, and often only^thirty, 
and sometimes twenty-one, the boundary being 
measured from the centre trap. If the pigeon is 
not killed or so severely wounded that it cannot 
cross that boundary, if it falls just outside, or even 
perches on the boundary, it is just as much a lost 
bird as if it had flown away absolutely untouched. 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 65 

He therefore requires a fast, smashing load, and 
nearly all pigeon shooters use heavy loads in both 
barrels. But if this heavy load is put into a light 
gun, it will "jump " from the recoil when the first 
barrel is fired, jumping sufficiently to disconcert 
the shooter, and prevent his getting in his second 
barrel either as fast or as true as he would like. 
Also the heavy gun, provided it is not too heavy 
for your strength, will swing with a more even 
motion, and enable a man to hold truer on the 
object. 

The same remarks apply to shooting at clay 
targets, with the one exception that, as you are 
going to shoot at a good many targets in rapid 
succession, you would never dream of using as 
heavy a load as for live birds, because your shoul- 
der would never stand it. Still, you do want a 
good, strong load, and if you were to put that same 
load into a light gun, you would soon have to 
stop shooting, or find yourself flinching, and misses 
coming faster than they should. 

There being so many known quantities in both 
live bird and target-shooting from traps, a man is 
at liberty to choose a gun which specially suits him 
for just that one particular kind of shooting. For 
instance, the ground, wherever traps are used, is 



66 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

generally level and free from trees ; you are, there- 
fore, looking each time for a rising object to shoot 
at, whereas in game shooting you may be firing at 
a bird going up or down hill. Again, the condi- 
tions between live bird trap-shooting and target- 
shooting from traps are sufficiently different to 
make a person, who wishes to excel at both, choose 
a somewhat different make of gun for each. These 
differences will be mentioned later on. 

I have not, so far, said much as to the various 
bores of guns, and many men are great advocates 
of smaller bores than No. 12. I have seen won- 
derful work done in the field with both sixteens 
and twenties, and I have shot them both a good 
deal myself ; but the average shooter will always 
do better work, in the long run, with a twelve-bore, 
and for that reason it has been the standard bore 
for many a long year, and will, I think, continue 
to be so for all time. For women or children, the 
small bore with its small grip is suitable, and also 
you can get better shooting out of a small bore, 
when it is an object to use a very light load, than 
the same load will give out of a twelve-bore. 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 67 

How Trap-shooting helps to make a Good 

Shot 

A great deal has been said and written on the 
subject of trap-shooting as regards its effect on 
the game shot, some believing that trap-shooting 
will not only not teach a man or boy how to become 
a good game shot, but that it will make him a bad 
shot in the field if he is a beginner, or injuri- 
ously affect his shooting if he is already a good 
game shot. 

Speaking from my own experience, as well as 
that of others, I think that trap-shooting by itself, 
whether at live birds or targets, would never make 
a first-class game shot, but there is no way in 
which a beginner can so quickly learn to handle 
his gun with ease and safety to himself and his 
companions as at the traps. There is, also, no 
other way in which he can learn as much about 
the technical points, which all good shots should 
learn, so as to find out whether the gun he is using 
suits him or not in shape and balance ; whether it 
is a regular shooting gun or the reverse, or whether 
the ammunition he is using is the best, etc. There 
undoubtedly is no school for a shooter like the 
traps, especially if he mixes freely with others, 



68 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

attends shoots where the best shots are to be 
found, and gathers knowledge from them. When 
he goes into the field he will have to unlearn 
nothing, but he will there find a great deal more 
which must be learned before he can become a 
really good shot at game. 

I have heard a great many men say that trap- 
shooting spoils them for shooting in the brush for 
a time, but I never remember an instance where 
the speaker was at all a good trap shot, and I have 
never known a really good trap shot who was not 
also a good game shot. 

It is no exaggeration to say that in the last ten or 
fifteen years clay-bird shooting has revolutionized 
both the manufacture of guns and also of ammu- 
nition. Before that time it was quite usual to 
find a man using a heavy, badly balanced gun, 
whilst ten-bores were common. Now it is a very 
rare exception to find a man using anything but a 
gun of the most modern type ; and ten-bores, except 
occasionally for wild-fowl shooting, are extinct. 

The same might be said of ammunition. Each 
man used to think he could load his own ammu- 
nition and get the best results. Now it is a rare 
thing at tournaments to see any except factory- 
loaded ammunition, for the reason that the shell- 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 69 

loading companies have kept up with the times, 
and can and do load their shells with all the vari- 
ous kinds of powder and shot in a way to get the 
best possible results from this or that load, and 
this or that make of powder. 

Target-Shooting 

It is the trap shooters of America who have 
obliged the shell-loading companies to give them 
perfect ammunition, quite as much as or more than 
the keen competition which exists between those 
companies, the reason being that where so many 
shooters are collected together in competition as 
is the case at clay-target shooting, and where five 
men at a time are standing in a row, shooting 
rapidly one after the other, nothing is easier than 
to detect a cartridge which is slow in ignition or 
weak in action, and such ammunition would be at 
once condemned. 

Target-shooting is not easy ; it is difificult, and 
to excel at it a man must not only be a good shot 
and have a gun which suits him perfectly, but 
must also have ammunition which will give him a 
perfectly regular pattern every time, and reach the 
object with the least possible delay. 

When target-shooting was first introduced, the 



70 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

targets were sometimes made much more brittle 
than is now the case, consequently if it was at- 
tempted to throw them any great distance, they 
would too often break up. Now, with improved 
traps and improved targets, they are thrown much 
faster and travel much farther than used to be the 
case, and are correspondingly harder to hit, and 
must be hit with several pellets to make them 
break. No one in his senses would ever com- 
pare trap-shooting in any form to shooting wild 
game in the fields, mountains, or woods, and it 
must be understood that in writing about trap- 
shooting I only speak of it as a valuable assistant 
to one who wishes to excel in field-shooting, or as 
a pleasant way of spending a few hours at any 
time when all kinds of game shooting are barred. 
It is true that some men get very enthusiastic over 
it, but that is more on account of the way it brings 
shooters together from all parts, and the conse- 
quent emulation to be, if not the best, as near as 
one can get to it. 

It is wonderful how clay-target shooting has 
grown and flourished since it was first introduced, 
not so very many years ago. The number of clay 
targets sold annually in America is beyond all 
belief, and year by year the quantity increases in 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 71 

place of diminishing. In an article, therefore, 
which is devoted to shooting, this branch of the 
sport deserves more than a mere passing notice. 

In 1 90 1 a match was arranged between a team 
of American trap shots and an English team, to 
be shot in England, the Englishmen to have use 
of both barrels at each target, the Americans to 
use one only. I was asked to act as referee for 
both the Americans and Englishmen, and there- 
fore had an opportunity of watching and hearing 
everything that passed. On our first arrival, the 
common talk was that, as the Americans generally 
practised target-shooting so much more than the 
English, it was quite likely that the English team 
would not have much chance if they shot on level 
terms ; but the arrangement made, that the Amer- 
icans should use only one barrel to their oppo- 
nents' two, would, it was thought, equalize matters. 

Before the match came off a live bird shoot 
from traps was arranged, open to any who chose 
to compete. This was a different kind of game, 
and there was much talk and conjecture as to how 
a number of Americans just landed in the coun- 
try, none of whom had ever before shot at English 
blue-rock pigeons, would hold their own with 
some of the best shots that England could pro- 



72 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

duce, especially as the Americans, from the mere 
fact that they were accomplished target shots, 
were presumed not to be so good at live pigeons. 
After that and some subsequent live-bird contests, 
however, there was no talk of Americans being 
inferior to Englishmen as pigeon shots. Then 
came the clay bird contests, and before they were 
over it was universally admitted that not only 
could the Americans beat the English at any kind 
of shooting, but that they were better equipped as 
to guns and ammunition than their antagonists, 
and that this had very much to do with the supe- 
riority shown by them. 

Here, I think, is a great point of difference be- 
tween an English and American shooter. The 
one is content very much to take what other 
people tell him as gospel and stick to it, and the 
gun-makers in England tell the shooters what 
suits them, the gun-makers, best; whereas the 
American judges for himself. Whatever he starts 
out to do, he is never satisfied to do in a half- 
hearted way ; he never rests until he has acquired 
the highest possible results, and he generally suc- 
ceeds. He long ago realized that he could not 
break target after target with the necessary de- 
gree of accuracy to put him in the first flight if 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 73 

he used the same gun or ammunition that he used 
for game ; and so he changed. The members of 
the EngHsh team were using light guns, Hght 
loads, and the same make of gun that suited them 
for field-shooting ; and I should be very much sur- 
prised to find that many, if any, of that English 
team have made any change since. 

The advent of smokeless powders has no doubt 
helped to bring clay-target shooting to its present 
high state of popularity. Few men would care 
to shoot in a squad long if they as well as their 
neighbors were using black powder ; but with the 
absence of smoke to blow back into the eyes, the 
less noise and less recoil given by smokeless pow- 
ders as now made, there is nothing to detract 
from a man's enjoyment. It is the only kind of 
shooting in the world where a number of men 
stand shooting in line in rapid succession, and 
having the result of each shot scored for or against 
them, where squad after squad follow each other 
without a moment's delay; and a man who is fond 
of firing a good many shots in an afternoon will 
find no difficulty in getting through about as 
much ammunition as he can comfortably carry. 



74 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

How TO BECOME ExPERT AT TaRGET-SHOOTING 

To be a real adept at target-shooting a man re- 
quires keen eyesight in a greater degree than for 
any other kind, as not only is the object shot at 
small, but the one point of all others that a target 
shot must study is to catch sight of the small, 
saucer-like object the moment it emerges from 
behind the screen covering the traps and the boys 
working them. 

Don't try to see it one foot or one yard beyond 
the screen, but at the very edge of it. This will 
mean that you will be well on your target and 
ready to fire at it ten yards nearer than if you 
sighted it an infinitesimal part of a second later. 

This ten yards means a great deal on an object 
as small and moving as fast as a clay target, be- 
cause ten yards farther you may have openings in 
your shot which will allow it to escape altogether 
unhit, or too few pellets may have struck to break it. 

In target-shooting it is not so necessary to have 
a smashing load as in live pigeon shooting, because 
the target after being struck at once falls to pieces, 
provided it has been hit by enough pellets. 

The usual load adopted by the best shots is 3 
drams or 3J drams of any bulk nitro powder, or 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 75 

its equivalent in a dense powder, with ij oz. No. 
7J chilled shot. 

Constant practice is an absolute necessity if a 
man aspires to be a good target shot, and even 
when he has acquired a great degree of proficiency 
he will quickly find himself out of form if he neg- 
lects to practice. 

When I first began shooting targets, I asked a 
professional who then, as he does to-day, stood in 
the very front rank as a target shot, how he ac- 
counted for being so good as he was. His answer 
taught me a great deal. It was, " Constant prac- 
tice, using my head, and never firing a shot that 
I did not put all my mind into." This last sen- 
tence is worth taking to heart and thoroughly 
assimilating. 

In shooting of all sorts, but especially at targets, 
three things must work in perfect harmony and at 
the same instant of time, viz., hand, eye, and brain ; 
and if the latter is thinking of something else, or 
not keenly fixed on what the hand and eye are 
doing, you may succeed in hitting what you shoot 
at, but you are very likely to miss. 

Though personally I do not agree with them, 
yet so many people are of opinion that live bird 
shooting from traps is cruel, and like neither to 



"jG Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

take part in it themselves nor see others doing 
so, it may well be claimed for target-shooting 
that there is no shadow of cruelty about it. 
Then there is no betting carried on in target- 
shooting as is so often the case in live-bird shoot- 
ing from traps. Also, it is much less expensive, 
and lastly, targets fly equally well in wet or dry 
weather or on any kind of ground, whilst live 
birds will not fly well and are therefore useless to 
shoot at in wet weather, and will not fly at all fast 
and afford no sport on some grounds, for reasons 
which seem apparent to the birds themselves, but 
can only be guessed by a human being. 

Since this form of shooting was first introduced 
it has undergone many changes. 

As first practised it soon became too easy for 
the crack shots, and changes not only in the tar- 
gets themselves, as well as in the traps they were 
thrown from, but also in the method of shooting 
at them, were introduced with a view to making 
the game more difficult. 

The usual plan adopted now at clubs is to have 
three traps placed four feet apart behind a screen 
which entirely hides them, as well as the men or 
boys working them, from the shooter. 

The shooters, in squads of five or six, stand in 



The Shot-gun and its Handling tj 

the segment of a circle sixteen yards in rear of the 
traps, with an interval between each shooter of 
four or five yards. The shooter is allowed the use 
of one barrel only, and the moment he has fired 
the referee calls " dead " or " lost," as the case may 
be ; the next man then fires, and so on down the 
line till the last man has shot, when No. i again 
shoots, followed by the others, the shooters chang- 
ing their position from left to right after each 
shot, or in case of the event being at fifteen tar- 
gets, after every third shot; if at twenty targets, 
after every fourth shot, etc., so that each man 
shoots the same number of times from each 
position. 

The quickness and regularity with which shot 
follows shot is very noticeable in a squad that is 
made up of men used to the game, and it is very 
disconcerting to such men to have in their squad 
one who needlessly loses time, who will talk to 
his neighbor, or who does anything which breaks 
the even regularity of shot following shot. 

Any one, therefore, who shoots targets, should 
study to be quiet, quick, and regular. He will 
find not only that it improves his own shooting, 
but he thus avoids making a nuisance of himself 
to others. 



78 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

The shooter is not supposed to know which 
of the three traps is going to be pulled when he 
gives the word " Pull," and the trappers should 
change the direction in which the trap just pulled 
was set, after each shot, so that no one of those 
shooting can tell either just where any target is 
starting from or the direction it will take. 

The traps are so arranged as to throw the tar- 
gets not less than forty nor more than sixty yards, 
and should be so adjusted that the flight of the 
target will at ten yards from the trap be not less 
than six feet in height from the ground nor more 
than twelve feet. 

Target-shooting is a game, not a sport. It is a 
healthy, open air game in which any one, old or 
young, man or woman, can indulge without any 
very great expense or much preparation, — a game 
which, started as it was only in the eighties, has 
already become national in America, and grows in 
popularity from year to year. It is hard to overrate 
its usefulness as a means of teaching how to shoot. 

A new form of trap has lately been introduced, 
which is held in a person's hands, and the spring 
working the trap released by pulling a trigger. 
It will throw the same form of clay target as the 
other traps, and throw it as far, and at the will 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 79 

of the person handling it can be made to throw in 
any direction without having to alter the mecha- 
nism in any way. 

I was told the other day that targets could be 
thrown with this trap in such a puzzling manner 
that, whilst the shooter had a perfectly fair shot at 
the target, so far as seeing it and distance from 
him went, he would yet, no matter how good a shot 
he was, not be able to break much, if at all, over 
one-half of the targets so thrown. I was so unbe- 
lieving that I went to see for myself, and found 
that I had not been misinformed. 

The targets were thrown diagonally across the 
shooter, some high up, some low down, some edge- 
wise, others flat, and owing to their speed and 
irregular flight not half of them were broken. 
This trap weighs only eight pounds, and can be 
put in your valise when going into the country. 

In trap-shooting many ways have been tried of 
bringing the crack shots down to the level of 
their less accomplished brethren by some form 
or another of handicapping. 

The only satisfactory way of doing this is by 
distance, i.e. putting the poorer shot nearer the 
traps, and the expert man farther back, — sixteen 
yards is considered the ordinary standard distance. 



8o Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

— and it used to be thought that the pattern of 
guns would open up too much if a man stood 
much, if any, farther back ; but experience shows 
that the best shots can still break nearly ninety 
per cent at such distances as twenty and even 
twenty-two yards — a wonderful exemplification of 
what the guns and ammunition of the present day 
are capable of doing. 

Trap-shooting can be made of great benefit to 
both game and pigeon shots by showing a man 
his weakest point, and enabling him, by practice 
at targets thrown repeatedly in that direction, to 
overcome it. 

Most men shoot a bird crossing from right to 
left better than one flying from left to right, but 
sometimes it is just the other way. 

After shooting for a time at targets thrown 
rapidly, first at one angle and then at another, yet 
never knowing beforehand which is coming, you 
will soon discover where your chief weakness lies, 
and by having that bird thrown to you again and 
again, will easily remedy your fault. 

Live Pigeon Shooting 

Live pigeon shooting from traps is, from a 
humanitarian point of view, cruel. So is all 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 8i 

shooting at live animals, and no one has felt this 
all his life more than the writer. Yet, carry this 
sentiment a little farther, and you become of neces- 
sity a vegetarian, for it is cruel to put an animal 
to death in order that you may feed upon it after- 
ward. Some years ago, in England, I was in the 
same house with a man whose whole idea was to 
save animals from suffering. At dinner, one even- 
ing, he told me of a great case that the Society for 
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had against 
a builder at Brixton, a suburb of London. 

His story was that this builder owned a brick 
field at the foot of a steep hill, and was building 
miles of houses on the top of the hill, so that all the 
bricks had to be carted up the hill. This was done 
in the usual two-wheel, one-horse cart, common for 
that sort of work in England ; but when the hill 
had to be ascended, the cruel drivers had been in 
the habit of getting on to the horses, so that not 
only had they a heavy load to drag up a steep 
hill, but had, in addition, to carry up the brutal 
drivers, who were too lazy to walk. He added 
that the case was up for trial that day, and he was 
very anxious to see the evening paper, and find 
out how much the cruel builder in question had 
been fined. 



82 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

My friend was a heavy man, and I myself weigh 
less than one hundred and thirty pounds ; but I 
astonished him by saying that, if he would let me 
take another fairly heavy man, who was one of our 
party, on my back, I could pull the speaker out of 
the room, whereas, without the weight on my back, 
I certainly could not move him, and that I thought 
he would find that, in place of the drivers being 
brutal and unfeeling, they had been doing the very 
best thing they could for their horses. This 
turned out to be the defence at the trial, and a 
verdict was given for the defendant. 

No one blames the society or their friends for 
striving, in every way, to stop all unnecessary 
cruelty to animals ; but it remains yet to be proved 
that shooting pigeons comes under that head ; and 
though the society is very strong in England and 
on the European continent, yet they have so far 
utterly failed to prove their case against pigeon 
shooting, though they have tried again and again 
to do so, and pigeon shooting is legal, and flour- 
ishes over there still. 

Pigeon shooting is a popular amusement in 
America, and is here looked upon as an amuse- 
ment only ; in other countries it is carried on, not 
so much for amusement, as for the sake of the 




A CHANCE OF A DOUBLE. 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 83 

betting, which is an ah-nost invariable accompani- 
ment of this form of sport. I have myself at 
various times seen as much as five thousand 
dollars bet by one man on the result of a single 
shot. 

It is not, therefore, surprising that when so 
much money is at stake, men who indulge in this 
sport should be willing to spend large sums of 
money and much time in getting guns and ammu- 
nition that are the best that can be procured. The 
cost of a gun and equipment is nothing in com- 
parison to the value of the prizes shot for, or the 
money which a shooter may win or lose in back- 
ing himself during a single afternoon's shooting. 

Whilst there is a great deal of pigeon shooting 
in America, it is not carried to anything like the 
extent that it is in England, France, Belgium, 
Italy, etc. In those countries, however, it is 
strictly confined to the wealthy classes, whilst in 
this country all classes alike take part in it. In 
America, pigeons can usually be provided at 
a cost to the shooter of not more than twenty- 
five cents each, whereas in England the price paid 
is considerably more than double that amount. 
The birds in England, however, are much stronger 
and faster than any that can be procured on this 



84 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

continent, and though the fast English blue-rock 
has been imported into this country in consider- 
able numbers by lovers of the sport, in the hope 
of rearing pigeons from that stock, the experiment 
has invariably failed, owing to difference in climate 
and the ease with which pigeons in this country can 
obtain food as compared with the difficulties they 
have to encounter over there. 

In Europe as here a hand-fed blue-rock is too 
tame, too fat, and too lazy to leave the trap with 
the lightning-like rapidity of a bird that has been 
reared, as they usually are there, in places specially 
built for them, as far removed as possible from 
any other buildings or from human beings ; in fact, 
where they are practically wild. 

Under these conditions the inherent wildness 
of the birds (and there is no wilder bird than a 
cliff-bred blue-rock) remains in them, and as they 
have to seek a precarious living, wherever and on 
whatever they can find, and in their search for 
food have to go many miles away from their roost- 
ing-place in all weathers and at all seasons, it 
follows that their bodies keep small and wiry, 
whilst their wings are abnormally large and 
strong. Many people imagine that the birds 
trapped in England and Europe generally are 



The Shot-gtm and its Handling 85 

caught in the caves that they inhabit in the 
steepest and rockiest cliffs which abound round 
the coasts of Great Britain and elsewhere, but 
this is not the case, as it would be impossible 
to catch those birds in any numbers. 

To give an idea of the difference in the rapidity 
of flight of the birds trapped in England and 
those trapped in this country, it is only necessary 
to mention that whereas in this country if, as is 
sometimes the case, there is any betting at all, it 
is usually at the odds of anything from six to one 
to ten to one laid on the shooter, provided he is 
a good pigeon shot ; in England the odds on the 
same class of shooter would not be one-half those 
mentioned, and the man backing the gun would 
then probably be a loser. 

The handling of the pigeons before and while 
being trapped in England is much better as a 
rule than in this country, and that alone makes a 
vast difference in the way in which the birds fly 
when the trap is sprung. In England all pigeons 
for trap-shooting are supplied on the morning of 
the same day on which they are to be used by 
one or other of two or three concerns who make a 
regular business of supplying not only the birds, 
but the men to trap and the dogs to retrieve them. 



86 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

These pigeon purveyors, from years of practice, 
are very clever in handling the birds, and have 
large, airy cages to keep them in until taken to 
the ground where they are to be trapped. The 
birds arrive fit to fly for their lives, having inva- 
riably been just caught up. Each bird as he was 
caught was examined, and if not strong and 
healthy was put back ; the rest had their tail 
feathers squared off with a pair of shears so that 
whilst confined in a basket or coop their tails 
would not become dirty or ruffled from the other 
birds treading on them, and so retard them in 
their flight. 

The matter of food and water Is most carefully 
attended to so that the birds are neither surfeited 
with overfeeding nor yet faint from want of food 
or water: each bird is in the pink of condition. 

When trapping them, there is no rough han- 
dling ; the utmost care is taken not to injure 
them when being lifted out of the baskets, nor to 
hold them in the hand one moment more than is 
necessary. In cold or wet weather, after the trap- 
per takes the bird from the coop, he will hold it 
inside his jacket or under his arm, so as to keep 
it warm and dry. Whilst in the coops they are 
guarded from wet, cold, or too much sun. In this 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 87 

country none of these matters is sufficiently at- 
tended to, and it is no uncommon occurrence to 
see birds brought to a shooting ground or used 
at some club, which, from their appearance before- 
hand, are palpably unfit to fly, or even if they look 
fit and strong do not fly with any vigor, because 
those in charore of them have not known how to 
handle them properly. 

There is no doubt that great cruelty was prac- 
tised on pigeons in former days, with the mistaken 
idea of making the birds fly faster; but this has all 
been given up, as those handling them have found 
out that no bird flies so fast as one that is feeling 
well and strong and has had no tricks played 
with it. Every pigeon shooter should do his 
utmost at all times to stop anything approaching 
cruelty in handling the birds. There is no 
cruelty in clipping the tail feathers as above 
described, but all attempts to maltreat the birds 
should be met with condign punishment when- 
ever discovered. 

Wounded birds should be caught and de- 
spatched as speedily as possible, and it is a shame 
ever to allow such a thing as a wounded bird 
to remain anywhere within reach without putting 
an end to it either by shooting or otherwise. 



88 Guns, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

With regard to this, the usual plan of retriev- 
ing now is far better than formerly. It was usual 
to allow three, or sometimes more, minutes in 
which a wounded bird could be gathered. If not 
gathered within that time limit, it became a " lost 
bird." The rule now generally adopted is that 
the moment a bird has been shot at and has 
touched the ground, the dog is let go to retrieve 
it; or where there is no dog, the man is to go 
straight up to the bird and catch it if possible, 
but not to lose time in going round it or waiting 
for it to die. Not only does this plan do away 
with one of the strongest arguments which is 
used by the Society for the Prevention of 
Cruelty to Animals, but it makes the shooting 
quicker and prevents vexatious delays. 

The chief difference between shooting pigeons 
from traps and shooting clay targets lies in the 
fact that the clay target leaves the trap so fast 
that it is impossible to hit it with any degree of 
certainty until it has got some distance from the 
trap, also that you only have the use of one 
barrel. 

With live birds, on the contrary, the very time 
to shoot is as they leave the trap and before they 
have attained their fastest flight, especially as, 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 89 

having the use of two barrels, you should be in a ' 
position to use the second before the bird has got 
too close to the boundary. 

Nothing but practice, and plenty of it, will 
enable a man time after time to pitch his gun to 
the right spot so as to catch the pigeon on his 
first spring, but it is wonderful what practice will 
do in this as in most things. 

When a man faces the five traps, he should 
take care that he has got the whole five in his 
full sight, and on giving the signal to the puller 
to open a trap he should watch for the first sign 
of a trap moving, not wait till it is open and the 
bird has left it, but have the muzzle of his gun 
pointing a little over that particular trap before it 
is fully open, and as the bird springs he then 
instinctively points his gun just ahead of the 
direction it is flying in and pulls the trigger; 
he must not pause to take aim, but trust to that 
instinctive working together of brain, eye, and 
hand, without which a man can never excel as a 
pigeon shot. 

Having fired the first barrel, he should use his 
judgment as to whether he rattles in the second 
without a pause or uses it deliberately. 

In the case of a bird flying directly toward the 



90 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

boundary, especially when, as is now so often the 
case, that is a very short distance from the trap, 
there is no time to pause, or the bird will have 
either reached it or got so close to it that, even if 
killed with the second barrel, it may drop beyond. 
If, however, the bird circles round or, being 
wounded, is on the ground, it is better to be 
deliberate with the second barrel. 

It is a golden rule with pigeon shots that a bird 
is never dead till it is gathered, therefore don't 
trust to appearances, but make sure that you 
centre your pigeon with the second barrel. 

Any old pigeon shot can tell of numerous cases 
where birds, apparently as dead as any bird could 
be, had suddenly taken wing and escaped over the 
boundary. Also, do not imagine that, because the 
bird is on the ground, only a short distance from 
you, that you cannot miss it, especially if you are 
using a very straight gun ; for then, unless you 
aim at its feet, your shot will all pass over its 
head. But with any kind of gun it is strangely 
easy, if the shooter does not take great pains to 
aim as if he were shooting with a rifle, to shoot 
a little to one side or the other, or too high or 
too low. 

I remember one extraordinary exemplification 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 91 

of this at the Westminster Kennel Club, when a 
match between two of the best amateur pigeon 
shots in America was taking place, at two hun- 
dred pigeons each man, for one thousand dollars 
a side. One of the contestants, in his first one 
hundred birds, had three of them, after they had 
been fired at with the first barrel, light on the 
ground, giving him an easy stationary object to 
shoot at with his second, not more than thirty 
yards off ; but in each case he missed, and the bird 
escaped. Yet this man was a good wing shot, 
either at the traps or in the field. 

This is especially likely to happen if there is a 
strong cross wind blowing, for the whole charge 
of shot may then be drifted by the wind to one 
side or the other, if you have not thought of, and 
made allowance for, such a contingency. 

It is not difficult for a man to become a sfood 
pigeon shot if he will take the trouble to learn the 
chief points about it from any one who has him- 
self learned it all, and then give himself plenty of 
practice, striving to find out where he is weak, and 
using every effort to overcome that one weak 
point which so many shooters have. 

He must have plenty of nerve, or the knowledge 
that he is watched closely by so many others, and 



92 Guns, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

his every movement criticised, will affect his shoot- 
ing. Some people, however, shoot much better 
when they are keyed up by the presence of a 
crowd ; it acts as a stimulant, and makes them 
feel keener than if alone. 

In pigeon shooting, whether you are shooting 
a match or merely a sweepstake, a single bird 
missed so constantly means the loss of the match 
or sweep, that each bird shot at must be given all 
the care and attention that you would give to the 
last shot in a match, when the result depended 
upon your killing that one bird. Keep cool, and 
never allow yourself to be upset or put out by 
anything that may happen. If a miss comes, take 
it philosophically. They will come, but do not 
lose your temper, and blame your gun, or shells, or 
anything but your own want of holding straight. 
Note in what direction the bird was flying when 
you missed it, and which trap it came out of, so 
as to discover your weak point as soon as possible 
and take measures to correct it. If you go on 
missing and cannot account for it, get some experi- 
enced shot, whom you can trust, to stand behind 
you as you shoot and tell you what you did wrong. 
It is not difficult, if a man is in the right position 
at your back, for him to see whether, at the 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 93 

moment of firing, you stopped the swing of your 
gun, or pulled it down, or shot in front of, behind, 
over, or under your bird. 

I have already written on the most suitable gun 
for pigeon shooting, so there is no need to repeat 
it here. 

The size of shot best for pigeon shooting is 
generally allowed to be No. 7. Under exceptional 
circumstances, such as a gale of wind blowing, it 
may be well to use No. 6, chiefly because the 
larger size of shot will drift less with the force of 
the wind than the smaller; but the larger your 
shot, the smaller your killing circle. On the other 
hand, the smaller your shot, the less the abso- 
lute killing power, just as it has been found with 
the modern small-bore rifles, which have penetra- 
tion enough to go through the body of a man after 
passing through a moderate-sized tree, yet even 
then leave him able to shoot back at you unless 
he has been hit in a vital spot. So it is with small 
shot ; your bird may die, and that very speedily, 
but yet have vitality enough left to get beyond 
the boundary. In England the various sizes of 
shot are numbered differently to what they are 
here, and our No. 7 is the same as their No. 6. 

Pigeon shooting and game shooting are so dif- 



94 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

ferent that you cannot make them alike. To be 
a first-class pigeon shot, a man must be able to 
concentrate all his thought and energy on the 
work he is doing. Good luck or bad luck must 
make no difference to him ; he must not be easily 
cast down or easily elated. Nothing brings out 
the points of a man's character more than pigeon 
shooting. If he has a weak spot it is sure, sooner 
or later, to come to the front. The niggardly 
man, the selfish man, the bad-tempered kicker, 
and, above all, the crooked man, will surely come 
to grief; but the nervy, high-principled, hearty 
good fellow who can give and take, and enjoy life 
and good-fellowship, will find few ways of enjoy- 
ing his leisure time more than in competing 
with others like himself at the traps. Man is 
a gregarious animal, and likes companionship; 
therefore the company of fellow-shooters makes 
pigeon shooting appeal to many. Besides, the 
season for game shooting is short, and often one 
is unable to devote the necessary time to it, 
whereas an afternoon's shoot at pigeons takes 
little time and requires no preparation. 

Then, too, many men are not physically fitted 
for game shooting and its attendant fatigue. Bad 
health, advanced years, stoutness, lameness, etc., 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 95 

incapacitate a man from game shooting who would 
otherwise be devoted to it. 

To such I say, try pigeon shooting. Give it a 
good, thorough trial. In your early efforts don't 
be discouraged if it seems at first too hard ; it only 
wants practice. Make it a sport, and not an art ; 
try to help your neighbor to succeed. In sweep- 
stake shooting always be willing to divide with 
another man, whether you think you can beat him 
or not, when he and you are left in it alone. Never 
watch for an unfair advantage over an adversary, 
and if it offers, don't take it. If a disputed point 
arises, leave the decision to any unbiassed brother 
sportsman, and then cheerfully abide by his 
decision. 

I have before remarked, that to be a good 
pigeon shot a man must concentrate his mind on 
each shot he fires. This is so much the case and 
so well known among trap-shooters that if a loose 
pigeon is flying over the ground, or any little 
thing is happening which might, in the slightest 
degree, take off the attention of the man at the 
score, he will wait until it has ceased. The extent 
to which some crack shots carry this seems ludi- 
crous, and yet perhaps they are right. Some men 
will not shoot if an empty shell or a piece of paper 



96 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

is lying on the platform in front of them. I think 
I am as free from what might be termed fancies 
as any one, and yet I am aware that I have missed 
many shots from one thing or another quite as 
slight, — something catching my eye and dis- 
turbing my attention at the moment of calling 
" Pull." 

Nearly all shooters have their special fads and 
fancies, but I think the most curious I ever met 
with was a man who would never shoot, no matter 
what the weather, without wearing a pair of rubber 
shoes, to give him, as he said, a good grip of the 
ground. This man is a very fine shot at the traps 
and in the field, and is by no means finical. 

Another man whom I know, and than whom no 
finer shot exists in America, will, before every 
shot, slightly raise his hat from his head and 
replace it again. Others breathe upon their hands 
to give them a firmer grip of the gun ; some wipe 
their hands for the same reason ; some think they 
can only shoot well in a thin-soled pair of boots ; 
others believe in wearing thick soles, and so on. 

Now, are these mere fancies ? There is gener- 
ally something in them, and, at all events, if a 
man has a fancy, he would better humor it, for 
nothing is so necessary for good, effective shooting 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 97 

as for a man to feel that his gun, his ammuni- 
tion, and everything about him, including himself, 
are right. 

Absolute freedom for the arms and a firm bed 
for the butt of the gun are very essential. Starched 
shirt fronts, brace buckles coming on the shoulder 
where the butt of the gun will rest, a coat which 
is so loose that it will wrinkle differently each 
time the gun is thrown up, or, on the other hand, 
one that in any way holds the arm, or a waistcoat 
which is not cut out enough at the arms and 
catches them as the gun comes up to the firing 
position, are all causes for poor shooting. 

Most men shoot better at one part of the day 
than at another, some best in the morning, others 
in the afternoon, and so on, showing, I think, that 
good shooting is often a question of good digestion 
and affected by a man's habits with regard to eat- 
ing and drinking. As a rule, I think most men 
shoot well on a comparatively empty stomach, but 
this is by no means always the case ; some men 
also require a little stimulant, some a good deal ; 
some do best with none at all. 

The position which different men assume at 
the traps varies, and some are ridiculously awk- 
ward and constrained. 



98 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

A man's position at the traps should be per- 
fectly free and unconstrained. 

It is easier for a right-handed shooter to swing 
his gun to the left than to the right, therefore the 
left shoulder and left leg should be in advance, 
the left knee very slightly bent, and the body 
slightly inclined forward, so as to resist the recoil 
of the first barrel and prevent the shooter being 
thrown off his balance. The right knee should 
be straight. 

The gun must be firmly grasped with both 
hands, the left holding the barrels just in front of 
the fore end, the right grasping the small of butt, 
but kept well back so as to get a lateral pull on 
the trigger in place of an upward pressure, the 
reason for this being, that whereas with a lateral 
pull on the trigger the pressure required to fire 
the gun will not be more than three or four 
pounds, with an upward pull as much as six or 
seven pounds pressure may be needed, and this 
increased weight of pull may cause the shooter to 
depress his gun at the moment of firing or to 
flinch, and in either case a miss is likely to result. 

Since the rule as to holding gun to shoulder 
before calling " Pull " has been changed there has 
been great variety of opinion amongst the best 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 99 

shots as to which position is best, but the majority 
are in favor of keeping the stock fully up to the 
shoulder when sighting the gun previous to call- 
ing " Pull," whilst the remainder hold the gun not 
more than two or three inches below the top of 
the shoulder, and even then they raise it before 
the bird is on the wing, or, in the case of clay-tar- 
get shooting, before they have sighted the target. 

Some people when about to shoot a pigeon 
match think it necessary to go through a course 
of training for some days previous. 

I believe this to be a mistake, and could name 
several instances that have come under my per- 
sonal observation where men by departing from 
their usual everyday routine of life, especially as 
regards eating and drinking, have shot much be- 
low their average. 

There is nothing fatiguing to a man in good 
health in shooting one hundred shots in alterna- 
tion with his antagonist, especially if, as is usual, 
he sits down whilst his antagonist takes his place 
at the traps. 

As to taking food or stimulant before or during 
a match it is impossible to lay down any rule ; 
what suits one man is another man's poison ; but 
as a general rule I think a little stimulant both 



L.ofC. 



loo Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

before and whilst the match is in progress is bene- 
ficial and helps to keep the nerves quiet and to 
make the hand and eye work quickly and in per- 
fect unison. 

Once more I would say, do not be content with 
simply bringing your bird down and gathering it. 
It is true it counts as a dead bird on your score, 
but never be satisfied with any shot you make 
unless you are sure you had the bird in the very 
centre of your charge. 

In nine out of ten crossing shots the birds, even 
though gathered, are shot with the outer edge of 
the charge and not with the centre. Don't be 
afraid of shooting too far ahead, it is much easier 
to miss by shooting behind. A crossing bird at 
forty yards struck with the centre of the charge, 
when a proper load and a proper pigeon gun is 
used, will double up and fall stone dead. 

A man who finds no fault with himself, as bird 
after bird falls only partially killed, will soon miss 
one and then perhaps several in succession. He 
will wonder why he is doing so, and think he is 
holding the same as when he was killing. So he 
is, almost, but not quite. At first he was getting 
his birds with the outside of the charge only, but 
later he failed to do even that. At first he was 



The Shot-gun and its Handling loi 

not leading enough, later he was leading still 
less. 

To get a big lead on a pigeon, provided you are 
keeping up your swing, i.e. that the muzzle of 
your gun is following the exact flight of the bird, 
it is only necessary to move the muzzle very 
slightly indeed, much less than most people sup- 
pose. For instance, at an object forty yards away 
from you it is only necessary to deflect the muzzle 
three inches to make the body of the shot strike 
eight feet higher, lower, to right or left, as the 
case may be. 

In connection with this, don't forget that I have 
before called attention to the fact that a bird 
crossing you at right angles flying at the slow rate 
of forty miles an hour and forty yards away will 
fly eight feet during the interval of time that will 
elapse between your pulling the trigger and the 
instant that the shot will reach the point he is 
passing. Putting these two facts together and 
bearing them in your mind will be of great assist- 
ance to you in pigeon shooting. Only remember 
that forty miles an hour is the rate of speed of an 
ordinary crow, or perhaps I should say a crow 
under ordinary conditions, but the word seems 
really to fit the bird so well I feel inclined to leave 



I02 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

it there. A pigeon usually flies very much faster, 
probably more than sixty miles an hour, up to 
eighty or ninety under special conditions. 

I cannot lay too much stress upon the necessity 
of being able to use the first barrel with lightning- 
like rapidity and following with the second after 
scarcely an appreciable pause. This is not always 
necessary or even advisable, but it is absolutely 
necessary with some birds and under certain con- 
ditions, such as a gale of wind, an extremely short 
boundary, or an unusually fast bird. 

Nothing shows the difference between a good 
and an indifferent pigeon shot more than the 
ability the first will display in judging the right 
time in which to shoot. A beginner is almost 
certain, when an extra fast bird leaves the trap, 
to be slower in using his first barrel, at all events, 
than he would have been had the bird not been 
so quick on the wing; whilst the experienced 
shot will be quicker than usual on that descrip- 
tion of bird. 

In the winter of 1893-94 a picked team of the 
best four amateurs of New York challeno;ed an 
equal number of Philadelphia amateurs to shoot 
a match at the traps. The challenge was promptly 
accepted by the Riverton Club, of Philadelphia, 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 103 

who named as a team four men who were then 
shooting in wonderful form and had carried 
everything before them. These were Charles 
Macalester, Yale Dolan, Tom Dando, and Bob 
Welch, all members of the Riverton Club, where 
the first match was to be shot. 

It would be hard to find four men in America, 
or anywhere else, who would have felt at all con- 
fident of beating these men, either singly or as a 
team. They were all, comparatively speaking, 
though not old in years, yet old as pigeon shots, 
and two, at least, had made their record in Europe ; 
but they were all what would be termed delib- 
erate shots at that time. The day of the match 
the two teams journeyed down together by train 
from Philadelphia to Riverton, and there was 
such a terrific gale blowing that it easily rocked 
the carriages on the rails. When we reached the 
ground, which is very exposed, branches of trees 
and shingles off the roof of the club house were 
flying in all directions. The boundary was twenty- 
one yards, and consisted of a three-foot wire fence. 
The wind was directly behind the birds, which 
were an exceptionally fast lot, and made them all 
out-goers ; each man was to shoot at fifty birds. 

The New York team consisted of the late 



I04 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

George Work, Edgar Murphy, Fred Hoey, and 
myself, and without an exception we were all 
quick shots and all shot throughout the match, 
which lasted a long time, in the same quick style, 
letting the first barrel off as the bird left the trap, 
and never pausing on the second. The conse- 
quence was that our score was a long way ahead of 
theirs before many rounds had been shot and that 
we won easily. A return match was shot, a few 
weeks later, at the Westminster Kennel Club 
grounds, Babylon, L. I., between the same two 
teams, when, fortunately for the New York team, 
a high wind, though not this time a gale, was 
again blowing directly behind the birds, and 
again we scored a victory. I have mentioned 
this to show that, under these exceptional condi- 
tions, the men who could shoot quickest were the 
winners, though had the conditions been reversed, 
it would have been hard to pick the winning 
team. 

Always be on your guard when pigeon shoot- 
ing against acquiring some bad habit; you may 
do this without being aware of it, unless on the 
watch ; such as leaning too much forward, a com- 
mon habit, acquired from a too great eagerness 
to be quick on your bird, or getting into a ner- 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 105 

vous, jerky way of throwing the gun to the 
shoulder; or, on the other hand, growing too 
deUberate with either barrel, or too snappy; 
equally bad faults, which must be guarded against, 
day by day, as long as a man is a pigeon shooter. 



Some Useful General Hints 

It often happens to a man when shooting or 
returning home after a day's shooting that he 
would be glad to sling his gun over his back, so 
as to leave his hands free. 

It may be his hands are so cold that he would 
like to keep them in his pockets, or he wants to 
carry something else in his hands, or light his 
pipe, etc. 

When shooting I always carry in my pocket a 
stout piece of cord, with the ends tied securely, 
just long enough to pass loosely over the head 
and right shoulder and arm, so that it hangs 
down on the right side in a loop. 

Pass the stock of your gun through the loop, 
muzzle to the front and downward, so that the 
cord catches behind the trigger guard. The gun, 
hanging like this, is perfectly safe, and leaves the 
hands free. 



io6 Gims, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

I have used this device both on horseback and 
bicycle, and can strongly recommend it. 

This same piece of cord often comes in handy 
for other purposes, such as temporarily fastening 
up a dog, etc. 

Never go into the brush without a stout knife 
in your pocket ; you never know when you may 
need it. 

The ejector may pass over the head of a shell 
and you want to cut a stick to force the shell out. 
You may want to build a fire, but can find nothing 
but damp wood ; then you can slice enough inside 
wood to start the fire, and the rest is easy. 

I make it a rule before starting out shooting 
to run over in my mind the articles I never go 
without, to make sure that I have them : — 
(i) Gun. 

(2) Ammunition. 

(3) Flask. 

(4) Matches. 

(5) Gun carrier (string). 

(6) Knife. 

(7) Dog whistle. 

And I have found this very useful. 



The Shot-gim and its Handling 107 

Use and Abuse of Smokeless Powder 

Smokeless powders have been in use for about 
twenty-five years, and yet the average sportsman 
knows very Httle about the powder his shells are 
loaded with, its properties, or why it does its work, 
or where possible danger lies in its use. That 
there are fewer accidents to guns, or to those 
using them, from modern smokeless powders than 
used formerly to be the case, when only black 
powder was used, is a well-established fact, but if 
the people knew more about the action of the 
powder they are using, and of its properties, many 
of the accidents which are of constant occurrence 
would be avoided. 

In the charge of smokeless powder which is in 
your gun when it is loaded, no matter how small 
that may be, you have an element of danger in 
the powder itself, if due care has not been taken 
in loading the shells you are using. Properly 
handled, as has been said before, it is safer than 
its equivalent in black powder. 

This element of danger arises from the fact 
that all nitro powders, without any exception, can 
be made to detonate. 

This term "detonate" means that the powder 



io8 Gims, Ammunition, and Tackle 

has been so completely and thoroughly ignited 
that it evolves all its gases in one instantaneous 
moment, with such extraordinary rapidity that 
any solid substance it is in actual contact with is 
shattered all to pieces. 

So that, for example, a comparatively small 
quantity of nitro powder lying on a slab of rock, 
and ignited in this way, would make a hole in the 
rock, although there was nothing to confine it in 
any other direction. 

But to do this the powder would have to be 
in contact with a most powerful detonating explo- 
sive, such as fifty grains of fulminate of mercury, 
whereas the ordinary quantity of that fulminate 
in a shell is one-quarter grain. 

To understand this thoroughly it should be 
borne in mind that all fire is a form of explosion. 

A stick of wood or a piece of coal or a simple 
match burning is exploding ; that is to say, it is 
changing from a solid mass to gas, but the gases 
are not being released, owing to the slow com- 
bustion that is taking place, with sufficient rapid- 
ity to cause what is usually termed an explosion. 

So far as I know, there has been nothing writ- 
ten since the first smokeless powders came into 
use which has conveyed to the shooter any real 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 109 

information as to the actual difference between 
the old black powder and the various nitro com- 
pounds which have taken its place. 

For want of this knowledge there has been 
much misconception as to how shells should be 
properly loaded, and shooters have had furnished 
to them at times shells which had no proper force, 
or, on the other hand, shells which were positively 
dangerous to use. 

Between these two extremes there is a wide 
distance, and the shooter should take care that he 
always has his shells so loaded that he hits the 
happy medium, that is, that he has in his gun a 
shell which is perfectly safe to use and which yet 
will give him the highest velocity combined with 
the best possible pattern and no undue recoil. 

Black powder, noisy, smoky, and bad smelling, 
had been in use so long that every one knew how 
it should be handled, but how many sportsmen at 
the present time know all the peculiarities of 
smokeless powders, how to get the best results, 
and how to avoid any possible danger in their use ? 

These powders differ very materially from black 
powder, not only in little or no smoke resulting 
from their ignition, but in the extreme sensitive- 
ness of the material of which they are composed 



no Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

to the way in which it is ignited, and the condi- 
tions under which the ignition takes place. 

If black powder is ignited, either by a match, a 
percussion cap, a spark of electricity, or by direct 
heat, it at once explodes with more or less violence, 
according to how closely it is confined ; that is to 
say, if you place black gunpowder on a plate and 
touch it with a spark, etc., it goes off with a puff, 
but makes no report and exerts no great force be- 
cause there is plenty of space for the gas to escape 
into. If confined closely in a cartridge and fired 
in the same way, it makes a loud report and exerts 
a considerable amount of pressure. 

Nitro powder, on the other hand, will not ignite 
when only a small spark or low degree of heat is 
applied, but is far more sensitive to the effects of 
various degrees of heat when these are high and 
strong. Thus, if some black powder were placed 
upon one plate and an equal quantity of smokeless 
powder on another, and a very minute spark ap- 
plied to each in turn, the black would ignite, but 
the smokeless would not. 

If the same conditions were observed, but a 
stronger ignition applied, the black powder would 
burn in the same way as before, that is, it would 
all go off together in one quick puff, whilst the 



The Shot-gun and its Handling m 

nitro powder would now ignite, but would burn 
slowly and even leave some particles unburned on 
the plate. 

Now confine both of these powders in a prop- 
erly loaded shell and place them in a gun and 
apply a still more powerful ignition, such as the 
cap employed to explode an ordinary shell, which 
not only gives a hot flash, but drives the same 
through the entire charge ; you will get an ex- 
plosion of about the same force in both cases, 
but it will be of that gradual form that it will 
drive the shot out of the gun with an amount of 
velocity which will be the same, according to the 
charge used, in black as in smokeless. 

But if you again increased very much the power 
of your igniting agent by using a cap containing 
a much larger quantity of fulminate of mercury, 
etc., you now get very different results from the 
two powders. The black powder cartridge will 
give the same or nearly the same result as before, 
but the nitro powder will probably burn with such 
enormously increased velocity that it has no time 
to find an exit for its rapidly forming gases, and 
such pressure will be exerted in every direction 
that the gun will burst. 

When this happens the powder is said to have 



112 Gims, Ammunition, and Tackle 

detonated ; in other words, it has all burned up in 
one moment of time, in place of a gradual com- 
bustion taking place. 

I have before mentioned the large quantity of a 
detonating agent, such as fulminate of mercury, 
which is required to make a loose mass of powder 
detonate ; but when nitro powder is closely con- 
fined in a shell and that placed in the barrel of a 
gun so as further to confine it, only a small 
amount of such detonating agent in excess of 
what is usually used would be required to make 
the powder in that shell detonate. 

I have endeavored to show that nitro powder 
differs materially from black, and requires special 
and careful treatment to get the best results with- 
out risk of accident. 

No one is more alive to this fact than the manu- 
facturer of the powder. He can at will make a 
powder which is slower or faster in its initial igni- 
tion, and when ignited will burn slower or faster, 
as is most advisable. His object is to make a 
powder which will always act the same under 
given conditions, and under these conditions will 
give the greatest possible velocity without sacri- 
ficing the pattern. He has to make his powder 
suit the ordinary requirements of the shell loader, 



The Shot-gun and its Handling 113 

and therefore in the experiments which are always 
made at every powder factory with each batch of 
powder before it is issued, to see that it is fully up 
to standard, he uses such a shell and such wad- 
ding as is generally in use, and the same with 
the amount of pressure put on the powder and 
the amount of crimp in the turn-over. 

Some shell loaders, however, especially if they 
have none of the mechanical appliances for testing 
at command which every powder maker has, think 
that they know a great deal more about how to 
load shells than any one else, and load their shells 
to suit their own fancy, believing that they are 
getting a better result by doing so, but entirely 
ignorant of the fact that, the powder having been 
specially made to suit a different set of conditions, 
they are either sacrificing pattern to increased 
velocity or velocity to pattern, or they may even 
be running the risk of setting up a dangerous 
amount of pressure in the breech of the gun. 

The powder maker knows what the shooter 
often does not, viz., that extra hard wadding will 
make the powder burn too fast to give the best 
results; that if extra pressure is put on the powder 
the same thing occurs; that if the turn-over is un- 
duly stiff it will also affect the discharge, though 



114 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

to a less extent, in the same way; but if all these 
three are done to one and the same shell, then a 
violent action is set up, — there is more recoil, 
louder report, more lateral pressure on the cham- 
bers of the gun, and the danger point is not far 
off. 

This too rapid action is further increased if, as 
some people still do, a priming of black powder 
is put into the shell before the charge of nitro 
powder, or, worse still, if two kinds of nitro 
powder are put in the same shell, which I have 
known to be done repeatedly, with the conse- 
quent result of the bursting of several guns. 

The lesson to be learned by the shooter is, that 
whatever powder he is using he must have it 
loaded according to the directions issued by the 
powder manufacturers, and not according to indi- 
vidual whim and fancy. 



THE HUNTING RIFLE 

By Horace Kephart 



THE HUNTING RIFLE 

A RIFLE for big game should shoot accurately, 
with low trajectory, and it should strike a knock- 
out blow. Its mechanism should be safe, simple, 
and positive ; its trigger-pull, smooth and easy ; 
its sights, strong, firmly fitted, and so adjusted to 
the eye that they will not blur. The stock must 
be strong, especially in the grip, and it should 
fit the user. The gun should not be heavier, at 
most, than a military rifle ; but the recoil should 
be moderate, and the barrel stiff enough not to 
jump or flip excessively. 

Many sportsmen would go no farther than this 
in their specifications ; but to my mind there is 
one more quality that a hunting rifle ought to 
have : it should be capable of using cheap and 
accurate ammunition suitable for small game and 
target practice, so that its owner, by frequent 
practice near home, may become expert in the 
use of his weapon. 

It is not possible to have all desirable features, 

at their best, in one and the same gun. Extreme 

117 



ii8 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

accuracy, for example, can only be attained by an 
inordinately heavy barrel and a weak charge. A 
" schuetzen " rifle may place shot after shot within 
an inch of dead centre at 200 yards range, but it 
is good for nothing but target-shooting. Simi- 
larly, we may have a 6 or 7 pound rifle that 
shoots a charge heavy enough for the largest 
game, but it is not likely to be accurate, and its 
recoil will be excessive. A practical hunting 
rifle is a compromise between qualities that con- 
flict more or less with each other, and one must 
know where to draw the line between them if one 
would make sure of getting an all-round good 
weapon. 

Rifle makers turn out a great variety of arms 
and ammunition, to suit the needs and fancies of 
sportsmen in all parts of the world. Many of the 
guns and cartridges that they sell are designed 
for special purposes, and, while good for the work 
that they are intended to perform, they cannot 
be recommended for average hunting. In the 
following remarks I will keep in mind what seem 
to be the needs of a majority of hunters of Ameri- 
can big game. 

I am aware that some of the details here given 
may seem over finely spun. " Any rifle by a good 



The Hunting Rifle 119 

maker will shoot closer than the average man can 
hold." True enough. But I am writing for men 
who wish to be better than average shots, and 
who take some pride in superior weapons. 



Accuracy 

Every rifle should shoot with such precision 
that its user may be sure that a miss is his own 
fault. This means that it should drive its bullets 
as close to the mark as an expert rifleman can 
hold, under favorable conditions. Such a man 
would not be satisfied with a rifle unless it could 
be relied upon to group nearly all its shots in or 
on a I -inch circle at 25 yards, 2-inch at 50, 4-inch 
at 100, 8-inch at 200, and 12-inch at 300 yards. 
He might not expect to use it at longer ranges ; 
but if the rifle were sure of the standard bull's-eye 
at 500 yards, he would like it all the better. 

Men whose hunting is confined to thickly tim- 
bered regions may be content with a lower stand- 
ard of accuracy than this; but I do not think it 
too much to expect of a weapon for all-round 
work, to be used on the plains and mountains, as 
well as in woods and swamps. I do not wish, 
however, to be understood as counselling any one 



I20 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

to risk long shots when there is a reasonable 
chance of getting nearer. By a long shot I mean 
anything beyond 150 yards. The notion that 
improved weapons have more than doubled the 
distance at which sure shots can be made at game 
is a delusion. We read in newspapers that a 
modern military rifle can kill a man two miles 
away, and this is true ; but we do not read, what 
is equally true, that the best of marksmen would 
do well to hit a 40-acre field at that distance, under 
service conditions. Similarly with hunting rifles, 
only much " more so " : the trajectory of the bullet, 
the difficulty of judging distances with precision, 
the neutral color of the mark blending with the 
background, the movements of the game, the 
intervention of trees or brush, and many other 
obstacles, often make long shots futile. None the 
less, a rifle should shoot with accuracy to a con- 
siderably greater distance than it will be used in 
fair hunting; because, if it does not, it is not 
likely to prove accurate at shorter distances, par- 
ticularly when wind is blowing. 

The shooting qualities of a rifle depend, 
for the most part, on its barrel, and how it is 
loaded. So far as material and workmanship go, 
the barrels of all reputable makers are reliable. 



The Hunting Rifle 121 

But mistakes are sometimes made in designing 
them — usually in response to a popular demand 
that is not always infallible. For example, a 
rifle barrel may be too thin and springy to shoot 
accurately the charge for which it is chambered. 
A thin barrel, if heavily loaded, is likely to jump 
or flip when discharged. What these terms 
mean is defined by Mr. Carlin in another part 
of this book. The jump or flip may be fairly 
constant with a given charge. In that case, 
the sights can be adjusted to allow for it, and 
this is usually done at the factory. Then the 
purchaser will not detect any fault in his gun 
so long as he uses the standard charge ; but 
if he tries a reduced load, or perhaps a batch 
of cartridges of some other make, he will be 
puzzled and annoyed by the extraordinary antics 
of his gun, which will shoot several inches to 
one side, or higher or lower, than in all reason it 
should, as though possessed by an imp. The 
barrels of most military rifles of modern type 
are longer and thinner than they should be. 
The Krag, for instance, when shot at 70 yards 
with suitable reduced loads, requires an eleva- 
tion of from 325 to 420 yards on the rear 
sight, and an allowance of from i to ij 



122 Gtms, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

points left windage. This is not due to 
any great difference in trajectory between the 
reduced and the service charge, at this short 
range, but to what Dr. Hudson calls the " terrific 
whip " of the barrel when fired with service 
charge, and to the correction made for it on the 
rear sight. I have often noticed similar results 
from changing ammunition in light hunting 
rifles. On the other hand, I have had a single- 
shot Winchester .30-40-220 with No. 3 round 
barrel which shot both full charges and reduced 
charges with accuracy and with no change of 
alignment, the elevation being shifted no more 
than the trajectories required. A Remington- 
Lee of the same caliber, which I had made to 
order with slowly tapered barrel, although weigh- 
ing only a fraction over 8 pounds, was similarly 
stiff and reliable. The maker's brand has noth- 
ing to do with this; it is merely a question of 
thickness of barrel. 

In our reaction from the unnecessarily heavy 
rifles formerly in vogue, we are tempted to go 
to the opposite extreme. Smokeless powder 
exerts most of its pressure in the chamber of 
the rifle and a couple of inches in front of it; 
consequently all of the barrel forward of this may 




STANDING THEM OFF. 



The Hunting Rifle 123 

be made quite thin, and yet be safe. But such a 
barrel is objectionable, not only because of its 
tendency to flip, but because it is too sensitive 
to varying conditions of heat from rapid firing, 
fouling, etc., and hence does not shoot so steadily 
as a thicker barrel. Another bad feature of such 
a barrel is that it requires a very high front 
sight, which is likely to cause overshooting when 
one aims quickly or in bad light, and is also 
more apt to get knocked out of alignment than 
a low sight. If weight must be trimmed down, 
and none can be spared from other parts of the 
gun, the barrel should be made short, with gradual 
taper from breech to muzzle, the front sight being 
set low on the barrel. A 24-inch barrel is long 
enough for a magazine rifle. 

The character and distribution of breech 
mechanism and the bend and stoutness of stock 
have something to do with a rifle's shooting 
qualities, but not enough to be considered here. 

The chief factor in a rifle's accuracy is its 
ammunition. In these days the " make " of a 
rifle is of less consequence than the choice of 
a cartridge. It is much more to the point for a 
rifleman to study the differences between, let us 
say, a .30-30-160 and a .30-40-220, than to 



124 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

argue the respective merits of a Winchester, 
Marhn, Mannlicher, Remington, Savage, Stevens, 
or what not. This will sound like heresy to many 
novices, and to some old marksmen, but it is a 
fact capable of demonstration. First choose a 
cartridge ; then a gun to handle it. 

If the reader will pardon a slight digression, I 
will say here that the subject of breech mechan- 
isms, if thoroughly treated, would require a vol- 
ume. I have only space to call attention to a few 
general principles that should be borne in mind 
when making a choice. As for materials and 
workmanship, if one is not himself a good judge, 
he should consult some one who is. Any good 
mechanic can immediately detect malleable forg- 
ings or faulty finish. Cheap guns may be made 
to look well on the outside, though their essential 
working parts may be of soft or brittle metal and 
roughly finished. See that the bolt or breech- 
block is capable of pushing into the chamber a 
shell that protrudes a little because it is slightly 
over size. A more important matter is the ex- 
tracting mechanism. This must be of strong 
material and powerful action. Some rifles, par- 
ticularly single-shot weapons, are defective in this 
respect. In a repeating rifle, test the feed of 



The Hunting Rifle 125 

cartridges from magazine to chamber, holding the 
gun in various positions. If there is any tendency 
to jam, reject the gun at once. Pay especial at- 
tention to this matter in a rifle with tubular maga- 
zine. Be sure that the trigger-pull is smooth and 
positive, not " creepy " or irregular. Other things 
being equal, a bolt-action gun is stronger, and has 
simpler mechanism than one operated by a lever; 
but it is more awkward to fire rapidly. It is de- 
cidedly advantageous to have a rifle the mechan- 
ism of which can be dismounted without a 
screw-driver or other tool. The fewer the parts 
and the more easily they are dismounted and 
assembled, the better. Some rifle actions are so 
complicated that, if anything goes wrong with 
them, it may take a hunter an hour or more to 
take them apart and put them together again. 
Remember that rifles for big game are to be used 
in regions remote from gunsmiths ; that your only 
tool may be a screw-driver; and that even it may 
be reposing at the bottom of some creek or snow- 
drift. 

The accuracy or inaccuracy of ammunition 
can only be determined by experiment. Yet 
there are a few general principles that may aid 
one in the selection of a cartridge. 



126 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

Smokeless powder, formerly very bad, has at 
last been improved, until we have one or two 
brands that are as reliable as black gunpowder. 
Since smokeless powder has unquestionable ad- 
vantages, I will here assume that black powder 
is obsolete. 

Bullets for high-power rifles are not always 
what they should be. The shape and fit of 
mantled bullets are of the utmost concern to a 
marksman. Here we may lay down a few rules 
of thumb that will be found to work well in 
practice. 

1. An ill-proportioned or misshapen bullet 
will be more erratic when flying at high velocity 
than when moving slowly. 

2. Bullets with hollow points are likely to 
" corkscrew " (drift spirally), and have a tendency 
to tumble and "keyhole," unless they are long 
and have shallow holes. 

3. Bullets with split points are liable to open 
prematurely and fly wild. 

4. Accuracy at 200 yards and upwards is not 
to be expected of any bullets that are shorter 
than 

3 times their caliber, for .25 caliber bullets, 

2^ times their caliber, for .30 to .35 caliber bullets, 



The Hunting Rifle 127 

2 times their caliber, for .40 to .45 caliber bullets, 
if times their caliber, for .50 caHber bullets.^ 

5. A mantled bullet does not upset from the 
force of explosion ; consequently it must be large 
enough to fill the grooves of the rifling com- 
pletely, so that no gas can escape past it ; other- 
wise its flight will be unsteady. So small a 
deficiency in diameter as a thousandth of an inch 
will work mischief, and will cause a good rifle to 
be condemned when the only fault is a loose 
bullet. Since rifle barrels are not bored with 
absolute uniformity (differences of several thou- 
sandths of an inch being sometimes found in 
barrels that are supposedly of the same cali- 

^ Bullets should not be lighter than the following, unless used at 
shorter ranges than 200 yards : — 

.25 caliber, 115 grains .40 caliber, 300 grains 

.30 caliber, 160 grains .45 caliber, 350 grains 

.32 caliber, 165 grains .50 caliber, 400 grains 

.38 caliber, 250 grains 
In .25, .30, and .32 caliber the weight may well be greater, but in 
larger calibers it cannot be increased much without excessive recoil, 
if charges giving upwards of 1800 feet a second velocity are used. 

Such cartridges as the .38-40-180, .44-40-200, and .50-110-300, 
which have bullets of only i^ to i\ calibers length, are not reliable 
beyond 150 yards. The .45-70-300 and .45-90-300, with bullets 
of If calibers length, are of doubtful accuracy beyond 200 yards, and 
their drift is quite noticeable ; an extra 50 grains of lead improves 
them, but increases both pressure and recoil. 



128 Guns, Ammiinition, and Tackle 

ber), nor are mantled bullets made of precisely 
uniform diameter, the bullets should be made a 
shade larger than the distance between grooves of 
the rifling. Marked improvement in the shooting 
of our Krag rifles has followed the use of super- 
caliber bullets. The actual diameter of a bullet 
is not that of its nominal caliber. The difference 
is sometimes very marked, as in the .38-40-180, 
and the .44-40-200, which are of .400 and .424 
inch diameter, respectively. 

The trouble formerly experienced with small 
caliber rifles using nitro powder and mantled 
bullets was mostly due to poor powder and ill- 
fitting bullets. Improvements have been made 
within the last year or two, and we now have 
some rifles and ammunition of high velocity that 
shoot very accurately. A notable example is the 
new .32-40-165 H. V. (muzzle velocity somewhat 
over 2000 feet a second), with which groups of 
ten consecutive shots can be made in a 4-inch 
circle at 200 yards, shooting from a common 
hunting rifle. 

Trajectory 

Probably not one rifleman in ten ever takes the 
trouble to test the trajectory of his ammunition ; 



The Hunting Rifle 129 

yet I do not know how a few hours could be 
spent more profitably by one who wishes to know 
what his rifle can do, and, even more important, 
what it cannot do. Misses from shooting over or 
under the game are more frequent than any 
others, and they are often caused by misjudging 
the allowance to be made for the curved flight of 
the bullet. 

Men whose practice with rifles is limited to 
short range target shooting take no account of 
trajectories. They merely " find the bull's-eye " 
by experimental firing, and then take no heed of 
anything but accuracy at a measured distance. 
I have a wide acquaintance among target shoot- 
ers, and have shot with them hundreds of times. 
Among them are some successful hunters, and 
some ex-soldiers who know how to allow for dis- 
tance in shooting over unfamiliar ground ; but, as 
a class, our city target shooters have little or no 
experience with practical weapons in the field. 
Many of them are extraordinarily fine shots at 
known distances — better than nine-tenths of our 
hunters and soldiers, but they have more to learn 
about practical marksmanship than the hunters 
and soldiers have to learn about tarwts. I have 

O 

seen a squad of them, after firing at 200 yards 



130 Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 

and rarely missing the bull's-eye, suddenly turn 
their rifles upon an inquisitive rabbit that bobbed 
up on the range not 50 yards away, and — not a 
bullet touched it ! Not a man in the squad knew 
how much allowance to make for the rise of the 
bullet at that short distance, with sights set for a 
longer range. 

Even among experienced hunters there are 
many who hold very absurd theories about the 
flight of bullets. The old woodsman who swears 
that his rifle shoots " dead level " for 200 yards 
is still with us, and so is the new woodsman who 
fondly believes the statements of some gun cata- 
logues about shooting " practically point-blank " 
up to 300 yards. 

As a matter of fact, bullets from the best of 
modern rifles rise from 4 to 6 inches above the 
line of fire at 100 yards when the rifle is sighted 
for 200, and from 12 to 18 inches at 150 yards 
when sighted for 300. This is by no means 
"practically point-blank." Most shots at big 
game are made at from 50 to 100 yards, and a 
bullet flying several inches too high at short 
range is a bullet badly aimed. I will have more 
to say about this under the head of "Adjusting 
for Zero." Meantime the reader is referred to 



The Hunting Rifle 131 

the trajectory data given in the accompanying 
table ; but with the warning that rifles have their 
personal equations, and also that trajectories vary 
according to atmospheric density. In the table 
no allowance is made for the angle between line 
of sight and line of fire, which varies according 
to the height of front sight above axis of bore. 
Nothing short of actual test of each rifle for 
itself, by shooting first at one distance, then at 
another, with the same elevation of rear sight, 
can teach one what his rifle will do. All of us 
should do such testing for ourselves. 

" It wad frae monie a blunder free us, 
And foolish notion." 

In all kinds of hunting with the rifle a low 
trajectory is a high merit; but it is the ammu- 
nition, not the gun, that gives it. 

Killing Power 

It is neither humane nor sportsmanlike merely 
to cripple an animal. Instant death is the true 
sportsman's motto. So long as we eat meat, the 
best we can do for our victims is to put them 
out of the way as quickly and painlessly as pos- 
sible. For this reason an expanding bullet, 



132 Gtms, Ammiinition, and Tackle 

driven at high velocity so as to deHver a smash 
ing, knock-out blow, is not the barbarous missile 
that some good people think it is. On the con- 
trary, it is the most humane projectile that we 
can use. 

The killing power of a bullet depends upon its 
weight, velocity, diameter when upset by impact, 
and its ability to penetrate far enough to strike 
a vital organ, deal a paralyzing shock to the 
nerve centres, or exhaust the animal by loss of 
blood. 

The penetration of full-mantled bullets, such 
as those of military cartridges, is excessive from 
a hunter's standpoint. A .30 Krag, for example, 
will shoot through a large tree, or through the 
length of almost any animal, with little deforma- 
tion of the bullet. If such a missile strikes an 
animal through the brain or spinal cord, it will 
kill ; or if it strikes an organ distended by fluid 
it may, by hydrostatic pressure, produce a burst- 
ing effect that kills. But such shots are excep- 
tional. If a bullet of this sort hits the abdominal 
viscera, the beast will probably run far, and may 
escape, to die a lingering death. If a bone is 
hit, it is not likely to be shattered. An animal 
shot through the soft parts of the body by such 



The Hunting Rifle 133 

a bullet feels only a sharp sting at the time, as 
though a whip had been smartly cracked on it. 
The bullet, piercing easily, expends but a small 
part of its momentum upon the victim. 

Another objection to the use of full-mantled 
bullets in hunting is that they are not easily 
stopped by branches of trees, brush, etc., and 
are dangerous to hunters and others who may 
be *within their range but beyond view of the 
firer. 

The best results are obtained with solid bullets 
the side and base of which are incased in hard 
metal, but with the soft lead core left exposed at 
the point. Such projectiles, known as "soft- 
points," when properly made are very destructive, 
as their points expand on impact to much more 
than their normal diameter, making a large 
wound and imparting a severe shock. It is 
essential that such bullets should be driven at 
high speed in order to upset properly. If a soft- 
point lodges in an animal, the full force of its 
momentum is expended upon it. If, on the 
contrary, it goes clear through the body or limb, 
its hole of exit will be so large that the beast 
bleeds freely and is easily trailed. In either case 
the result is likely to be deadly. 



134 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

Dissatisfaction with soft-point bullets is some- 
times expressed, on the score that they expand 
too readily, or prematurely fly to pieces, and 
hence fail to penetrate deeply enough to inflict 
a mortal wound. If this happens, it is because 
the mantel was too thin or too soft, or because 
too much of the lead core was exposed, or 
because the bullet was too short. As for the 
latter fault, one should consider it before select- 
ing a rifle. Compare, for example, the .30-30-160 
and the .30-40-220, in this respect. If both bul- 
lets travel at the same velocity and meet the 
same obstacle, the former may be turned inside 
out, or may go to pieces, inflicting only a super- 
ficial wound, where the latter, owing to its greater 
length and weight, and harder envelope, would 
only mushroom at the point, leaving the long, 
firmly encased body of the bullet intact, thus 
ensuring ample penetration. What Van Dyke 
says in his " Still Hunter " of hollow-point bullets 
is equally true of soft-points : " Penetration is 
just as essential as striking surface. ... If the 
ball is to penetrate or crush far, it must have 
momentum. To have momentum, it must have 
weight. To have weight, it must hold together. 
. . . There must be weight behind to force the 



The Hunting Rifle 135 

widening front of an expansive ball through 
solid flesh, or even through the contents of the 
stomach." 

By firing into a clay bank free from gravel, 
and digging out the bullets, one can judge fairly 
well whether the soft-points will merely mush- 
room, as they should, or will fly to pieces on 
big-boned animals covered with thick hair and 
tough hides. 

Ever since small-bore rifles began to be used in 
war and in the chase, there has been a lively dis- 
cussion as to the relative killing powers of large 
and small calibers. At least, that is the form in 
which the question is usually put ; but it is a loose 
way of stating the point at issue, and is likely to 
lead far afield. More than a mere matter of cali- 
ber, and more even than killing power, underlies 
the discussion. If the latter were the only factor 
to be considered, then nearly every one who went 
after big game would take a large caliber weapon 
using ammunition of high velocity, as a matter of 
course, on the general principle that it is best to 
err on the safe side. 

For the sake of clearness let us assume that by 
"small-bore" is meant any rifle of less than .33 
caliber. It is convenient to draw the line here 



136 Gtms, /Ammunition, and Tackle 

because it will include under small-bores all mod- 
ern military rifles, and all sporting rifles that use 
military ammunition. The latter are favored by 
many sportsmen because the cartridges are lighter 
to carry and easier to procure in unsettled regions 
than larger ones. There are many riflemen, too, 
who want what they call " a good all-round rifle," 
which shoots hard enough to kill big game and 
yet may be used with satisfaction on small game, 
or at targets, "to keep one's hand in." Few 
Americans carry a "battery" of different rifles 
when they go hunting, no matter how many guns 
they may own. Such men prefer small-bores if 
they will do the work. 

Killing power depends upon shock and pene- 
tration. Shock varies as the energy or momen- 
tum that is checked by the victim's body, and the 
sensitiveness of the part hit. The amount of 
energy checked depends upon the striking force 
of the bullet, its striking surface, and the resist- 
ance encountered. 

At the end of this section will be found a table 
that I have prepared, giving the ballistic qualities 
of those smokeless cartridges that are at present 
most used in America for hunting large game, 
and of a few black powder cartridges that are in- 



The Hunting Rifle 137 

troduced for comparison. I call special attention 
to the fact that this table and the present discus- 
sion relate only to ammunition, and not to differ- 
ent makes of rifles. In order clearly to distinguish 
the various cartridges from each other, it is neces- 
sary to give them their factory names, as, for 
example, .38-55 H. V. Marlin, .38-55 H. V. Win- 
chester, 7 mm. Spanish Mauser, 8 mm. Mannlicher, 
arfd so on ; but these terms do not necessarily de- 
note the rifles from which they are shot. Rem- 
ington-Lee rifles, for example, are made to use 
cartridges designated as Remington, Mauser, 
Mannlicher, U.S.A., etc. ; some Savage and 
Stevens rifles use cartridges called Marlin or 
Winchester; some Marlin and Winchester rifles 
use ammunition that is interchangeable ; individ- 
uals sometimes fit a barrel of one make to an 
action of another make ; and so on. The make 
of rifle cuts practically no figure so far as ballistic 
qualities are concerned. There may be differences 
in number and depth of grooves and twist of 
rifling, but these differences are so slight in the 
barrels of various makes that a given cartridge 
will give practically the same results in all well- 
made rijles that are bored, chambered, and rijled to 
use it, length of barrels being the same. 



138 Guns, Ammunitwn, and Tackle 

In the table are given for each cartridge its 
muzzle energy and the remaining energy of the 
bullet at 1 50 yards. These are computed by Mr. 

Carlin's formulcc. The values of — are calculated 

w 

from the actual diameter of the bullet in each 
case. This often varies considerably from the 
nominal caliber of the rifle (note, for example, the 
•35 Winchester, .38-40, .44-40, and .50-1 10), and 
it is the only accurate datum. The other figures 
are furnished by the Winchester, Marlin, and 
Union Metallic Cartridge companies. I regret 
that I was not able, at the time the table was 
compiled, to give the exact figures for the 9 mm. 
Mannlicher and 9 mm. Mauser cartridges. They 
vaiy but little from those of the .35 Winchester, 
which may be considered as typifying them. 

Glancing at the " energy " columns of the table, 
we see at once that caliber alone is no criterion at 
at all. Here is a cartridge of only .28 caliber that 
has more energy at all ranges than another of .50 
caliber. 

Neither is weight any index, by itself, of effi- 
ciency. The energy of the 219-grain Mauser bul- 
let of .31 1 caliber is about the same at the muzzle 
as that of the 450-grain .50-100 black powder 



The Hunting Rifle 139 

cartridge, and it quickly gains as the distance 
increases. The speed and relative length of 
bullet are very important factors in developing 
and sustaining energy. 

It will be noticed, too, that the penetration of 
soft-point bullets in pine compares favorably 
with that of the unsheathed lead bullets used in 
the large caliber rifles using black powder. In 
steel it is greater than theirs. Of course, full- 
mantled bullets of much greater penetration may 
be used if preferred. 

So much for the table. It shows the amount 
of energy developed, but it cannot show how 
much is utilized in a given case. That depends 
largely upon the striking surface and the resist- 
ance met. The advantage is generally with a large 
caliber bullet, unless the missile lodges in its victim 
and thus spends all of its energy upon it, in which 
case the bullet of greatest striking energy is the 
most effective, regardless of caliber. 

As regards the expansion of soft-point bullets, I 
have never personally seen a failure, unless the 
shooter ignorantly used a reduced charge of pow- 
der. When properly loaded they will expand on 
a rabbit's paunch. Neither have I seen a failure 
to smash bone, when the bone was fairly struck. 



HO Guns, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

There is, however, some danger of a short and 
light soft-point failing to penetrate deeply enough 
after passing through a cushion of thick hair 
and hide. This is as true of large calibers as 
of small ones. The remedy is a long, heavy 
bullet. 

Personally, I would not use full-mantled bullets 
on any American game. The fault of such bul- 
lets is that they do not " pulp " enough tissue. 
There are all sorts of directions in which an ani- 
mal may be pierced through and through by a 
non-expanding bullet and seem little the worse for 
it; but there are comparatively few parts of its 
body in which a properly expanding bullet will 
not damage important nerves or blood-vessels, and 
thus communicate a shock to the whole system 
that will knock a good deal of the fight out of it. 

Yet there are amazing exceptions sometimes. 
I do not like to go into such details ; but this is 
a technical discussion. Every one who has had 
much experience in the field has witnessed in- 
stances of vitality in wild animals (not speaking 
of species, but of individuals) that made him doubt 
his senses — has seen one shot through the brain 
and still crawl into a den, or another literally dis- 
embowelled and yet fight with fury until it dropped 



The Hunting Rifle 141 

from sheer loss of blood. An animal apparently 
dead may spring upon the melodramatic green- 
horn who approaches to bleed it, and may upset 
both his calculations and his equilibrium. Hence 
it is an old maxim among hunters of big game to 
" shoot till the critter's down, and then put a bul- 
let through its head." 

I give below my personal opinions of the rela- 
tive killing power of the various smokeless car- 
tridges in the table that follows. I never knew 
any one's opinion in such matters to go unchal- 
lenged ; but I believe that where I am found to 
err it will be on the safe side. In ranking the .30 
New Springfield among cartridges fit for grizzly 
bear hunting, I forecast that a reliable expanding 
bullet will be made for it, which is no great task. 
The superior ballistics of this cartridge place it in 
a class by itself as compared with all other small- 
bores on our list. The grizzly and his big cousin, 
the Kadiak bear, are formidable brutes — quite as 
much so, in the opinion of competent judges, as 
any animals of the Old World ; and he who hunts 
them takes his chances, whatever be the caliber 
of his weapon. The work calls for a good man 
behind a good gun. 

I would rank the killing power of the following 



142 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

cartridges about as stated, beginning with the 
strongest : — 



For Grizzly Bears. Calibers, .30 to .50. Energies at 150 yards, 
1 32 1 to igj I foot-pounds. Petietration, 13 /^ 15 inches. 
.405 Winchester. .30 Springfield. 

9mm. Mauser. .50-110 H. V.* 

9 mm. Mannlicher. -45-90 H. V.* 

•35 Winchester. 8 mm. Mannlicher. 

7.65 mm. Mauser. 

B 

For Moose, Elk, Caribou, etc. Calibers, .30 to .45. Energies at 150 

yards, 835 to iz^)"] foot-pounds. Penetration, 10 to 14 inches. 

7 mm. Mauser. -38-55 H. V. 

.30 U.S.A. (Krag). .32-40 H. V. 

.303 British (Lee-Metford). .32 Winchester. 

.45-70-300 H. v.* .303 Savage. 
.33 Winchester. 



For Deer, Black Bear, Antelope, Sheep, Goats, etc. Calibers, .25 
to .44. Energies at 150 yards, 479 to ji^j foot- 
pounds. Penetration, 9^ to 12 inches. 
.30-30. .38-40 H. v.* 

.25-36. .44-40 H. v.* 

•25-35- 

The cartridges starred (*) are not recommended for shots beyond 
150 yards. 

It will save a rifleman much trouble and 
chagrin if, when he buys ammunition, he will 



The Hunting Rifle 143 

invariably give the full trade name of the car- 
tridge wanted, and personally examine the label 
of every box that he buys, to make sure that the 
clerk has made no mistake. It will not do, for 
example, merely to say, "Give me some .32-40 
Marlin smokeless cartridges." There are five 
different .32-40 Marlin cartridges using smoke- 
less powder, with velocities ranging from 1575 to 
over 2000 feet a second, — not to mention a dozen 
other .32-40 cartridges that can be used in the 
same gun. Especially should one guard against 
getting low power smokeless ammunition when 
high velocity cartridges are wanted. Each of 
these is good in its way, but they cannot be used 
interchangeably without re-sighting the rifle. 
Find out by actual test just what cartridge pleases 
you best; then stick to it, and examine the label 
on every box of ammunition that you buy. 



144 Gtuis, Ammunition, and Tackle 



BALLISTIC DATA OF 

(Results are variable, being affected by atmos- 



Cartridgb 



Diameter 

OF 

Bullet 



Weight 

OF 

Bullet 



Value of 



Velocity 



At 
Muzzle 



At 150 
yards 



25-35 Winchester . . . 
25-36 Marlin .... 
mm. Spanish Mauser . . 
30-30 W. and Marlin . . 
30-40 U.S.A. (Krag) . . 
30 Springfield .... 

303 Savage 

303 British 

65 mm. Mauser .... 
mm. Mannlicher . . . 
32-40 Black Powder . . 
32-40 High Velocity . . 

32 Winchester Special . 

33 Winchester .... 
35 Winchester .... 
38-55 Black Powder . . 
38-55 H. V. Marlin . . 
38-55 H. V. Winchester . 
38-40 Black Powder . . 

38-40 H. V 

405 Winchester .... 
44-40 Black Powder . . 

44-40 H. V 

45-70-405 Black Powder 
45-70-300 H. V. . . . 
45-90-300 Black Powder 
45-90-300 H. V. . . . 
50-1 10-300 Black Powder 
50-110-300 H. V. . . . 
50-100-450 Black Powder 



inch 
.257 
.257 
.2843 
.306 
.308 
.308 
•3" 
•3" 
•3" 
•317 
•319 
•319 
.3205 

•336 
.358 
•375 
•375 
•375 
.400 
.400 
.411 
.424 
.424 
•456 
•456 
•456 
.456 
.512 
.512 
.512 



grams 
117 
117 

173 
160 
220 
220 
180 
215 
219 
227 
165 
165 
165 
200 
250 
255 
255 
255 
180 
180 
300 
200 
200 

405 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
450 



3-952 

3-952 
3-271 
4.097 
3.018 
3.018 
3-761 
3-149 
3-093 
3-099 
4-317 
4-317 
4-358 
3-951 
3-589 
3.860 
3.860 
3.860 
6.222 
6.222 

3-941 
6.292 
6.292 

3-594 
4.852 
4.852 
4.852 
6.117 
6.1 17 
4.078 



feet 
1925 
2000 
2260 
1885 
i960 
2250 
1840 
i960 
2000 
2000 

1385 
2000 
2000 
2000 
2150 
I321 
1700 

1593 
1268 
1700 
2204 
1245 
1500 

1275 
1825 
1480 
1925 
1536 
2150 

1383 



feet 

1497 
1559 
1837 
1450 
1622 
1861 

1445 
1608 
1648 
1648 
1033 
1523 
1519 
1560 
1717 

XO59 
1322 
1240 

955 
1 146 
1720 

943 
1039 
1046 

1333 
1098 
1410 
1061 
1458 
1084 



The Hunting Rifle 



145 



CERTAIN CARTRIDGES 

pheric conditions, length of rifle-barrels, etc.) 



Ene 


RGY 


Penetration of 
Bullet IN J-iN. Pine 
Boards at 15 Feet 


Trajectories of Bullets 




I 00-yard 
Trajectory. 
Height at 

50 yards 


200-yard 

Trajectory. 
Height at 
100 yards 


300-yard 


At 

Muzzle 


At 150 
yards 


Soft-point 


Lead 


Trajectory. 
Height at 
150 yards 


foot-lbs. 


foot-lbs. 






inches 


inches 


inches 


963 


585 


II 


— 


1-3 


6.2 


16.6 


1040 


632 


"i 


— 


1-9 


5-1 


— 


1963 


1297 


— 


— 


— 


— 


— 


1239 


747 


12 


— 


1.4 


6.4 


16.9 


1877 


1285 


13 


— 


1.2 


5-5 


13.6 


2474 


1689 


— 


— 


— 


— 


— 


1353 


835 


12 


— 


1.4 


6.5 


17.0 


1834 


1235 


13 


— 


1.2 


5-5 


14.0 


1945 


1321 


— 


— 


— 


— 


— 


2017 


1369 


— 


— 


— 


— 


— 


703 


391 


— 


^ 


2.7 


"■3 


28.3 


1464 


850 


10 


— 


1.2 


5-5 


16.0 


1464 


846 


12 


— 


1.2 


6.0 


16.4 


1777 


1081 


13 


— 


1.2 


5-8 


15-5 


2567 


1637 


15 


— 


I.O 


4-7 


12.2 


988 


635 


— 


9i 


2.9 


I3-I 


34-4 


1635 


990 


14 


— 


— 


7-9 


— 


1437 


871 


10 


— 


2.0 


9-5 


25.S 


643 


364 


— 


n 


3-2 


14.4 


35-7 


"55 


525 


10 


— 


1.8 


9-5 


— 


3237 


1971 


13 


— 


1.0 


4.9 


12.8 


688 


395 


— 


9 


3-4 


15-3 


37.4 


999 


479 


10 


— 


2.3 


12.1 


— 


1460 


984 


— 


15 


2.6 


11.7 


29.0 


2219 


1 184 


13 


— 


1-5 


7-4 


— 


1460 


803 


— 


15 


2.4 


10.3 


27-3 


2470 


1325 


14 


— 


1.4 


6.6 


— 


1572 


973 


— 


12^ 


2-5 


1 1.9 


33-5 


3080 


1416 


14 


— 


I.I 


5-8 


— 


1912 


1 108 


— 


16 


2.9 


11.9 


30.7 



146 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

Rapidity of Fire 

There are certain points in which a single-shot 
rifle is superior to a repeater. A larger propor- 
tion of its total weight is in the barrel, and this 
makes for greater accuracy, other things being 
equal. A single-shot rifle can have a Lyman 
or other aperture sight placed on the tang, and 
at the proper distance from the eye, whereas 
only those repeaters that have short bolts, or 
bolts that withdraw inside the action, will permit 
this. In general, it may be said that single-shot 
rifles permit the use of more accurate sights than 
repeaters do. They also are better adapted to 
set triggers, which are a decided advantage in 
deliberate offhand shooting, though not in firing 
at running game. They can be (but not all of 
them are) simpler and stronger in mechanism, 
and less liable to get out of order, than magazine 
rifles; though in this respect some of our bolt- 
action military and sporting rifles leave little to 
be desired. 

A first-class marksman, who depends on mak- 
ing every shot count, will do more accurate shoot- 
ing with a single-shot rifle, fitted with aperture 
rear and open wind-gauge front sights, and 



The Hunting Rifle 147 

double set triggers of " schuetzen " pattern, than 
he will with a repeating rifle. The very fact 
that he cannot " pump lead " will make him a 
more careful stalker and a deadlier marksman 
than he who relies on rapid fire. To those who 
do not hunt for count, but who take an honest 
pride in skilful woodcraft and clean kills at the 
first shot, the light-triggered and fine-sighted 
single-loader will ever remain the true artist's 
weapon. Theirs is the school of the nail driver 
— that good old school of the American back- 
woodsman, who tanned his boy's jacket for every 
miss, or of the South African Boer, who said to 
his son : " Here is a cartridge ; go fetch me an 
antelope." I would there were no other school 
for riflemen to-day. 

From the flint-lock to the percussion system, 
from muzzle-loaders to breech-loaders, from 
single-shots to repeaters, from magazines worked 
by hand to automatics or self-loaders, these are 
stages of mechanical progress, no doubt, and they 
are inevitable. The day in which the rifleman 
becomes a scatter-gunner, by raining lead from 
an automatic, has come, and with it true marks- 
manship declines. But we must bow to facts. 

Repeating rifles are more convenient, in some 



148 Guns, Ammumtion, and Tackle 

respects, than single-shots, and they are safer, to 
the extent that the chamber may be left empty, 
with the magazine filled and ready for instant 
use. They are good for stopping crippled game, 
and, once in a long while, to forestall the mauling 
of a hunter. Some of us have seen even a white- 
tail buck turn fiercely upon its assailant, and I 
can testify that it is not to be sneezed at. But I 
have often thought that, unless one is seeking 
undeniably dangerous game, he should give the 
animal that turns upon him a fairer fight than by 
riddling it with a repeater. 

Lever-action magazine rifles are superior to 
bolt-actions in rapidity of aimed fire, and auto- 
matics, of course, outclass them both in this re- 
spect. While on this subject, I feel bound to 
condemn the use of automatic .22's on wild-fowl or 
other birds in flight. It does not seem as though 
one owner of such guns, out of ten, realizes or 
cares how far they will carry, and endanger hu- 
man life, when they are fired at high angles. 
Nobody but the shooter is safe within half a mile 
of them. 

As for automatic rifles for big game, sports- 
manlike sentiment is against them. They tempt 
young hunters to rely more upon luck than upon 



The Hunting Rifle 149 

skill, and are likely to increase the number of 
paunch-shot or broken-legged cripples in propor- 
tion to the clean kills. On the other hand, when 
a cool and accurate marksman uses such a gun, 
he is tempted to kill immoderately. It may be 
true that "the gun does not make the butcher," 
but I submit that a fraction of a second is rather 
too brief an interval in which to trust an acquired 
sentiment to check a natural impulse. Let us 
give the sentiment of fair play a reasonable chance. 
It is all that distinguishes sport from slaughter. 

Even from a cold-blooded technical standpoint, 
automatic rifles are open to serious criticism. 
They are necessarily more complicated than or- 
dinary guns. An American hunter seldom takes 
with him more than one gun. If that weapon 
breaks down when he is in the depths of the 
wilderness, it leaves him in a sorry scrape. More- 
over, the automatics are apt to have abominable 
trigger-pulls, and they are then not arms of pre- 
cision, but scatter-guns of the worst class. Good 
shooting with a rifle depends more upon a delicate 
and positive control of the trigger than upon any 
other factor. In a recoil-operated mechanism the 
action of cocking is practically instantaneous, and 
is accompanied by a considerable jolt; conse- 



150 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

quently the security of the sear against slipping 
must be beyond question. To make it so is easy 
enough, but to give it a smooth and easy release, 
as well, is another matter. 

It is a much simpler problem to produce a 
satisfactory automatic shotgun than to make an 
automatic rifle that is safe to use with ammuni- 
tion of high velocity and adequate killing power 
for big game, and simple and strong enough for 
wilderness hunting. 

If a repeating rifle is chosen, it should be used 
primarily as a single-loader. Always aim as- 
though your life depended upon that one shot. 
Van Dyke says, and says well : " The most im- 
portant point is never to be in a hurry. Fire as 
you would at a target ; that is, as coolly and delib- 
erately. Never hasten a second because the game 
shows signs of starting, or because there is more 
than one deer or antelope waiting for your bullet. 
Place no dependence upon speed of fire." 

Weight 

While it is folly to add a single unnecessary 
ounce to a hunter's equipment, and especially to 
that part of it that he carries in his hands, yet a 



The Hunting Rifle 151 

rifle may be too light for good shooting. Even 
though the barrel be stiff enough, and the gun 
strong enough for hard service, yet it may kick 
so hard that it will cause the shooter to flinch. 
It is true that he will not think of recoil when 
aiming at game ; but he will when shooting at 
marks, and he will fire ten shots at targets to one 
at large game — perhaps a hundred to one. It is 
by target shooting that he becomes familiar with 
his rifle. Unless he can " call his shots " with con- 
fidence (announce just where they struck before 
the result is signalled), when shooting at marks, he 
will have no confidence in himself or in his weapon 
when he takes to the field. No one can call his 
shots correctly if he flinches. Nothing short of 
" buck-ague " is so fatal to accuracy. The least 
shrink or blink at the instant of firing will send a 
bullet wide of the mark. Anything that induces 
flinching is a downright nuisance, and chief of 
such nuisances is a light rifle overcharged. 

The recoil caused by different cartridges in 
rifles of the same weight may be compared by 
the muzzle energies that they develop. (See 
table.) For cartridges of 1000 to 1400 foot- 
pounds muzzle energy, the rifle should not weigh 
less than 7^^ pounds; for those of 1400 to 1800 



152 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

foot-pounds, not less than 8J pounds ; and for 
more powerful cartridges I would say not less 
than 9 pounds, unless the rifle is to be used as a 
saddle gun, or for some other special purpose. 



Sights 

Granting that one's rifle and ammunition are 
what they should be, the art of hitting the mark 
consists in true aim and a steady pull-off at the 
right moment. Good aim cannot be taken unless 
the rifle sights are clearly seen and aligned with 
precision. 

The sights ordinarily fitted to American rifles 
at the factory leave much to be desired. The 
German silver front sight of " Rocky Mountain " 
pattern is badly shaped, too coarse, and it glitters 
in sunlight. The " buck-horn " rear sight with 
flaring wings hides a great part of the foreground 
and sometimes obscures the outline of the game 
itself. The combination is very liable to blur. I 
can see no good reason for such sights, other than 
the one once given me by Gemmer of St. Louis, 
successor of Samuel and Jacob Hawken, whose 
rifles w^ere almost universally preferred by the 
Rocky Mountain trappers in the days of Jim 



The Hunting Rifle 153 

Bridger and Kit Carson. " It made no differ- 
ence," he said, " what kind of sights we would put 
on a rifle ; a mountain man would knock them 
off, anyway, and rig up something to suit him- 
self." In this respect our riflemen have not 
changed much to this day. And there is good 
reason. Eyesight differs. Even when globe and 
peep sights are used, it often happens that when 
two men try to shoot with the same gun they 
cannot use the same elevation; the difference 
may amount to a full point at 200 yards. 

It is hard to aim accurately with open sights. 
Modern rifle-barrels are short, the sights are not 
far apart, and the rear sight is near the eye. A 
man's eye cannot focus simultaneously on the 
two sights and on the target; one or other of 
them is sure to blur. Again, it is difificult always 
to catch the same amount of fore sight — to 
"draw the same bead," as riflemen say. When 
one is nervous, or overconfident, or is obliged to 
aim quickly, he is prone to draw too coarse a 
bead, and so he misses by overshooting. The 
varying play of light and shade on open sights is 
another source of error. An ivory bead is the 
best front sight for most men's eyes. It should 
be smoked with a match when hunting over 



154 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

snow. Combination front sights of the Beach 
and Lyman patterns are far too frail for field use. 
Globe sights with hoods are only suitable for 
target shooting, as they do not let in light from 
above, and hence the pinhead is often invisible 
in the forest, or in any bad light. A Lyman 
open ivory bead with wind-gauge is a good sight, 
not that a wind-gauge is used in hunting, but 
because it is easy to adjust on the range, where 
the light bullets used in target practice are quite 
sensitive to wind. 

If an open rear sight is used, it should be a 
plain bar, with only a small notch in the centre. 
Some riflemen use no notch at all, but it is better 
than a vertical line, for the latter blurs. 

Personally I nearly always use a Lyman or 
Savage peep-sight with large aperture, preferably 
on the tang. Such a sight takes care of itself, 
the shooter paying no attention to it in aiming, 
but merely looking through it ; his eye instinc- 
tively finds the centre, if the sight is as near as 
it should be. He does not draw fine or coarse, 
but merely centres the bead on the mark. 
This is a corrective of overshooting — that cardi- 
nal vice, so prevalent when an open rear sight is 
used hurriedly, or in bad light. With the rear 



The Hunting Rifle 155 

peep-sight there is nothing to attend to but the 
bead and the mark. All the foreground is in 
view. Elevation can be changed quickly and 
accurately. There is no blur. When such a 
sight is fitted on the tang it is a little in one's 
way sometimes ; but this slight inconvenience is 
more than atoned for by the greater accuracy of 
aim. A peep-sight mounted in the rear sight 
slot, on the barrel, is good for nothing. One 
fitted to the rear of the receiver is good in clear 
light, but not so in dim light. To get the best 
out of a peep-sight it must stand within an inch 
or two of the eye. A Lyman sight can be fitted 
to the head of the firing-pin of such a bolt-action 
gun as the Remington-Lee, and cocking the piece 
brings the sight close to the eye. 

A good telescope sight is the best of all sights 
for shooting at a considerable distance, but for 
shooting at running animals, or at large beasts 
near by, a tube sight is useless. A telescope tube 
attached to the barrel by such mountings as were 
formerly used is more of a hindrance than a help, 
being in the way of plain sights, and too delicate for 
rough service. The lenses are liable to get out of 
adjustment from the strains and blows to which a 
hunting rifle is exposed, and the tube may be 



156 GtmSj Ammunition, and Tackle 

knocked out of alignment, in which case the 
hunter may not discover what is wrong until he 
has made some exasperating misses ; then he has 
an hour's work to readjust the sight. A tele- 
scope tube, as ordinarily mounted on a rifle- 
barrel, is like a sore thumb, always in the way 
and frequently getting hurt. It catches in brush, 
bridle reins, and other obstacles, and is contin- 
ually a source of anxiety. A tube mounted on 
the side of the barrel is an awkward thing to aim 
through, and it disturbs the balance of the gun. 

A telescope sight made by Harry M. Pope 
of the Stevens Arms Co. can be removed from 
the gun in a few seconds, and remounted as 
quickly, with the certainty that it will return to 
its proper aligment without any adjusting. The 
tube slides forward when the gun recoils, so as 
not to strike the eye, and can be carried thus, 
offering no projection at the breech to catch in 
obstacles. 

A recent invention, the Brayton tubeless tele- 
scope sight, deserves mention. It works on the 
principle of a Galileo telescope, having neither 
tube nor cross-hairs, but using the front and rear 
sights of the gun for alignment and elevation. It 
consists of a front and rear lens, so arranged that 



The Hunting Rifle 157 

they can be folded down when only the open 
sights are wanted, and turned up in a moment 
ready for service. They can readily be attached, 
or detached and carried in the pocket. The opti- 
cal centre of the front lens is placed exactly at the 
top of the front sight. To the elevating part of 
the rear sight is attached one-half of a concave 
lens, divided horizontally. Thus the Brayton 
sights correspond to the upper half of a telescope 
placed immediately above the open rifle sights. 
In sighting, all objects below the lower edge of 
the lenses are seen without magnification, while 
Avhat is seen through the upper half is magnified. 
The lenses add practically nothing to the weight 
of the rifle. 

The advantage of a telescope sight does not 
consist so much in its magnifying power as in cor- 
recting aberrations of vision, eliminating blur and 
mirage, and enabling the shooter to see clearly a 
mark that is dim to the unaided eye. It corrects 
near-sightedness and far-sightedness, since the 
focus of the lenses can be adjusted for any eyes. It 
is also useful in identifying doubtful objects. The 
best power for field use is four diameters, which 
apparently brings the mark within one-fourth its 
actual distance from the shooter. Nothing is 



158 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

gained by increasing the power, but much is lost, 
for it reduces the illumination, magnifies the 
tremor in aiming, and cuts down the field of 
view. 

I think that the greatest improvement in rifles 
that we may expect in the near future is in de 
vices for aiming them. 

Trigger- Pull 

Nearly all shooting at game is done offhand. 
Since no one can hold a rifle so steadily offhand 
that his sights are truly aligned upon a small 
mark for more than a very brief interval, perhaps 
a fraction of a second, a perfect command of the 
trigger is essential to good marksmanship. One 
must know the exact amount of finger pressure 
that will discharge the piece, and he must be capa- 
ble of applying it with such nicety that the bullet 
will start at precisely the right instant. This is 
a difficult art to acquire. Anything that inter- 
feres with it is a serious handicap. If the trig- 
ger-pull is too stiff, or irregular, one cannot tell 
to a certainty when the gun will go off, and his 
attention is distracted from the proper business 
of aiming to the exasperating uncertainty of the 



The Hunting Rifle 159 

trigger. Military rifles are required to have a 
6-pound, or at least 5-pound, trigger-pull, by 
which is meant that it takes such a weight, hung 
from the trigger, to release the hammer or firing- 
pin. This is entirely too hard for good offhand 
shooting, and the men who master it are excep- 
tional. A 2-pound pull is enough for any one, 
and 1 1 pounds is not too light for a careful marks- 
man. I am speaking now of single triggers. 

The standard trigger-pull of American hunting 
rifles is 3 pounds. To ease it, do not tamper 
with the springs. Examine the notch into which 
the sear fits. It is toothed, so that, in order to 
release the hammer or firing-pin, it is necessary 
for the sear to do some lifting. Obviously if the 
notch were cut square instead of at an angle, and 
the tooth of the sear trimmed accordingly, the 
pull would be easier and the sear would slip out 
of the notch more smoothly. This should be 
done with a small oilstone, particular care being 
taken to grind squarely across, so that all of the 
notch and engaging parts of the sear bear evenly 
upon each other. Unless one is skilful in such 
work, he should give the job to a good gunsmith, 
telling him what trigger-pull he wants. 

A creeping pull-off (one that starts, then sticks, 



i6o Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 

then goes off with a jerk), or a long drag (the 
distance through which a trigger moves before 
releasing the hammer or firing-pin), is an abomi- 
nation. 

Set triggers are only recommended for single- 
shot rifles. 

Stock 

Showy mountings, engraving, and other frills 
are out of place on a practical weapon. But 
there is one part of a rifle on which a little extra 
money may be spent to good advantage, and that 
is the stock — not on fancy wood, but on a hand- 
made stock specially fitted to the user, of such 
bend and length that it will " come up " like a 
well-fitting shot-gun stock, the sights coming 
properly to the eye at once, without any craning 
of the neck, and without bringing one's nose 
against his thumb, for that causes flinching. 
Choose straight-grained walnut, and see that the 
grain runs lengthwise of the grip, which is the 
weakest point. A half-pistol grip adds a little 
to the firmness with which the gun is normally 
held to the shoulder, but if it is so cut as to 
weaken the grip it should be discarded. A 
checked grip and forearm are aids to good hold- 



The Himting Rifle i6i 

ing. A shot-gun butt is better for a hunting 
rifle than the conventional crescent butt. The 
long prongs of a Swiss butt-plate are designed 
for nothing but offhand target shooting in the 
hip-rest position, and should never be used on 
a hunting rifle. Metal heel-plates are more 
serviceable than those of hard rubber. 

There should be as little glitter about the rifle 
as possible, for it bothers the eye of the shooter 
and catches the eye of game. One has trouble 
enough in hunting without flashing signals to the 
animals hunted. 

A sling for the rifle is a good thing. It relieves 
the strain on the arms in long tramps to and from 
the hunting grounds, and leaves the hands free 
to assist in climbing, parting brush, etc. The 
sling on the gun-cover is not enough, for the 
cover is left in camp. 

Adjustment of the Rifle 

When the rifle and its appurtenances have 
been procured, one should look for a level range 
of 300 yards or upward, upon which to test 
the rifle, adjust sights, and practise shooting 
at marks. It is folly for one to start off on a 



1 62 Guns, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

hunting trip with a new rifle that has not been 
tested and its zero determined at measured 
distances. 

In the vicinity of most cities there are rifle 
ranges, either military or civilian, where one can 
get permission to shoot. Failing this, seek a 
natural range backed by a steep bluff, or by 
water at least a mile wide, and facing in such 
direction that the sunlight will fall upon the 
targets. At 300 yards or more from the back- 
stop build a rest from which to do your testing. 
A stout table will do, with a bag of sand upon 
which to rest the rifle-barrel, and a coat or 
other pad for the elbow. The rest must be solid 
and firm, for the least tremor will spoil the work. 
Its height should be such that when one sits 
close beside it on a stool, in a natural position 
for aiming, one's elbow will be at the right height 
when placed on the rest. The elbow must be 
rested, as well as the gun — this is important. 
The sandbag or pad on which the rifle rests 
should be built up to such a height that one 
does not crane one's neck in aiming, but sits erect, 
in an easy, natural attitude. Accurate work is 
to be done, and these details are essential ; for 
accurate shooting from rest is not so simple 



Tbe Hunting Rifle 163 

and easy as it looks. A soft rubber recoil pad 
may well be fitted to the rifle butt, for the recoil 
of a gun is felt much more when firing from rest 
and braced against it than when shooting off- 
hand. In shooting, rest the rifle about 6 inches 
back from the muzzle. First make sure that the 
sights are truly aligned so far as sidewise devi- 
ation is concerned. Shoot at a 4-inch bull's- 
eye 100 yards distant. If the gun shoots to 
the right, tap the front sight over to the right, 
and vice versa. Shifting the rear sight has the 
opposite effect. It is ridiculous how riflemen 
get mixed up about this simple matter. The 
rule is, Move the front sight away from the 
directioji iit which you wish the bullet to go, 
or move the rear sight toward it. If the front 
sight is correctly centred on the barrel, it should 
be let alone and adjustment made with the rear 
sight, for that looks better to the eye. Do this 
work when no wind is blowing. 

Having aligned the rifle with precision, next 
find the exact elevation of rear sight for 100 
yards, by firing and shifting sight until you get 
a group of at least five consecutive shots close 
together and close to the centre of the bull's-eye. 
In aiming, hold the front sight barely grazing 



1 64 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

the lower edge of the bull's-eye (" at six o'clock," 
target shooters say, as though the bull's-eye were 
a clock dial). If, on the contrary, you were to 
aim with the top of the bead inside the bull's-eye, 
you could not be sure of always holding on the 
same spot, and your shots would straggle. Hold 
your breath while aiming, or slowly expire it, and, 
in the name of Davy Crockett, do not blink nor 
flinch the hundredth part of an inch when you 
draw trigger! A good corrective of flinching 
is to try to continue holding on the bull's-eye 
for a second or two after firing. Of course you 
cannot do it, but try; this helps to keep you 
steady at the critical moment of firing. 

Make a memorandum of the loo-yard eleva- 
tion. Shoot similarly at 200 yards, and at 300, 
using 8-inch and 1 2-inch bull's-eyes, respectively. 
Enter the elevations in your note-book, with 
memorandum of the ammunition used (the same, 
of course, that you expect to use in hunting), but 
do not score the elevations on your rear sight. 
Rest elevations and offhand elevations seldom 
tally exactly, particularly with heavy charges in 
guns of medium weight; and the sights should 
not be marked until the correct elevations for off- 
hand shooting have been found and verified by 



The Hunting Rifle 165 

repeated practice, when you get so skilful that 
you can generally call your shot. 



Adjusting for Zero 

By the " zero " of a rifle I mean the minimum 
distance for which it should be sighted, and be- 
low which the rear sight should never be lowered. 
This depends upon the trajectory of the bullet 
and the kind of game hunted. I will assume 
that the rifleman wishes his gun sighted so that 
he can decapitate a squirrel or grouse at 50 to 
100 feet, and yet get as wide a killing zone as the 
rifle is capable of when so aimed. By "killing 
zone" I mean the extreme distance throughout 
which a fatal shot can be delivered at a given 
animal without allowing for distance in aiming. 
Thus, for example, let us say that an 8-inch disk 
represents that part of a deer in which a bullet 
may be counted upon to inflict a mortal wound ; 
then the deer's killing zone would be that dis- 
tance throughout which the trajectory of the 
bullet would cut an 8-inch disk. For open 
country, where long shots are the rule, the rifle 
may then be sighted for an extreme rise of 4 
inches above line of aim, and the killing zone 



1 66 Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 

for deer will extend to that point where the de- 
scending bullet falls 4 inches below line of aim. 
Remember that line of aim or sight is different 
from line of fire (prolongation of axis of bore), 
and that it is in the shooter's favor, as will be 
seen below. 

Assuming, for example, that the highest point 
of the trajectory above line of fire is 4^ inches, 
for a given rifle, when sighted to strike centre 
at 160 yards, and that this highest point is at 
80 yards (it would really be a little nearer the 
target, but the difference is trifling at short 
range), also that the top of front sight stands 
one inch above axis of bore ; then the trajectory 
would be about as follows : — 



Trajectory 


Distance in Yards 




20 


40 


60 


80 


100 


120 


140 


160 


Above line of fire, inches 
Sight allowance, inches 


1.89 

•87i 


3-33 

•75 


4.19 
.62^ 


4-5° 
.50 


4.28 
.37i 


347 
•25 


2.07 
.12^ 






Above line of aim, inches 


1.02 


2.58 


346 


4.00 


390 


3.22 


1.94 






This would be good for deer shooting up to 
about 200 yards, without change of aim. 

But such a trajectory would be too high for 
shots near by. In the woods, where most shots 



The Hunting Rifle 167 

are fired at from 40 to 100 yards, a rise of 2 J 
inches at 40 yards, and 3 J inches at 60 yards, 
would be excessive. For hunting in a locaHty 
where there is plenty of cover, this rifle should 
be sighted to strike centre at about 80 yards ; 
it will then shoot on a line practically level up 
to 100 yards. 

A rifle giving the above trajectory should be 
sighted for a zero of 80 yards, and the rear sight 
fixed so that it cannot be lowered below that 
point. A notch should then be filed in the stem 
of the rear sight (if a Lyman) at the 160-yard 
elevation, deep enough to be found with the 
thumb nail, so that the hunter need not take his 
eyes from the game when he shifts elevation. If 
the rear sight is of open pattern, its steps should 
be filed for 80 and 160 yards. These two eleva- 
tions are all that are needed for any shooting up 
to 200 yards. Elevations for longer ranges may 
then be marked, after determining them with care 
by a series of tests in varying weather, and aver- 
aging the results. 

In the above manner, the proper zero for any 
rifle may be found by experiment. 

Atmospheric conditions modify the trajectories 
of bullets, and so do differences of altitude. The 



1 68 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

difference is quite noticeable when one takes to 
the Rockies a rifle tested at sea-level. 

In shooting at a small mark very close by, as 
at the eye of an animal, or in trying to behead 
a snake, allowance must be made for the height 
of front sight above axis of bore, or one will shoot 
too low. Try the gun at a nail-head lo or 15 
feet away. 

Target Practice 

Men who do not live near good game regions, 
and who consequently can seldom try their rifles 
under actual field conditions, must do the next 
best thing — practice at targets. If such prac- 
tice is carried out intelligently and persistently, 
it will go a long way toward making a man a 
good field shot. Clay birds do not fly like live 
wild birds ; but no one will deny the value of 
trap shooting to city men whose hunting days 
are few and far between. It is the same with 
rifle practice at targets. 

A beginner should first try his hand at shoot- 
ing from a rest, until he can keep ten consecutive 
shots in a standard bull's-eye at the corresponding 
distance. I repeat that good shooting from rest 
is not so easy as it looks. Then he should try 



The Hunting Rifle 169 

offhand shooting at measured distances. The 
measuring should be done with accuracy. Guess- 
work is poor policy in anything connected with 
rifle shooting. Another poor policy is to cheat 
one's self, by omitting bad scores from the target 
register, or beginning a new score whenever a 
bad shot is made. It is the wild shots that 
should be studied ; the good ones take care of 
themselves. 

Start offhand practice at 25 yards, on a i-inch 
bull's-eye, so that you can see the bullet holes 
without running back and forth. Take an easy, 
natural position, without straining any muscle, 
and not holding the gun as though you were 
afraid of it. Do not crane the neck forward, 
but hold the head almost erect, the right shoulder 
being thrown back so as to bring the rear sight 
(if mounted on the tang) within at least 2 
inches of the eye. Stand with left side toward 
the target (unless you are left-handed), and 
rifle pointed well to the left. Hold the rifle 
with left arm free from the body. Body-rest 
and hip-rest are positions suitable only for prize 
shooting at targets. One can seldom use them 
in hunting; and, even when he can, previous 
exertion may have made the heart thump so 



lyo Guns, Ammiinitioii, and Tackle 

that supporting the elbow against the body 
would do more harm than good. Free-arm 
shooting is necessary for shots at moving objects, 
and one should get the knack of it at once, and 
stick to it. 

If the rear sight is a Lyman, pay no attention 
to it in aiming ; merely look through it and 
fix your eye primarily on the mark, secondarily 
on the bead of front sight. If open rear sight is 
used, bring its notch in alignment with the 
front sight, with the bead of latter standing 
just high enough so as not to blur. Aim at 6 
o'clock, barely touching the lower edge of the 
bull's-eye, or with a very little white showing 
between it and the bead. Do not cant the 
rifle to one side, but hold it so that the sights 
are perpendicular. Canting affects the eleva- 
tion. It makes no difference whether you keep 
both eyes open or close one of them; the two- 
eyes theory amounts to nothing in rifle shooting, 
save in snap-shooting at moving objects close 

by- 

Draw a deep breath, and hold it ; if your 
breath gives out before you are ready to shoot, 
stop, and try again. You will find that you can- 
not hold steadily on the bull's-eye. No one 




AN UNEXPECTED MOMENT. 



The Hunting Rifle 171 

can.^ The art consists in steadying down until 
the bead does its bobbing close around the bull's- 
eye, and in steadily drawing the trigger so that it 
lets go at the right instant. It is really not the 
tremor of the sight that gives the most trouble, 
but the lack of command of the trigger. We 
speak of "pulling" the trigger, but that is just 
what we must not do. The trigger must on no 
account be pulled or jerked, but pressed with 
the finger, gendy and evenly. A novice is 
likely to keep his finger away from the trigger 
until he thinks he is ready to shoot, and then 
grope for it, only to pull it off with a jerk when 
he does touch it. That will never do. The 
finger must feel the trigger from the time that 
aim is first sought until the gun is discharged. 
This is the case even with set triggers, no matter 
how delicately they may be adjusted, although 
in using them the trigger finger is only slightly 
crooked, the additional pressure being sometimes 
given on the side of the trigger. 

It is impossible to shoot well with a rifle unless 

^ In shooting from the position known as hip-rest, there comes 
a time, now and then, when a good marksman can hold immovably 
for several seconds. He is " frozen stiff." The trouble then is to 
work the trigger finger, for it is most likely " frozen " too. 



172 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

one has such command of the trigger that he 
can press it off at exactly the right instant, with- 
out the slightest jerk, quiver, shrink, or blink 
of the eye. One's eye must be riveted on the 
mark and on the bead of front sisfht. There 

o 

must be no nervous anticipation of explosion 
and recoil, no anxiety about the result until the 
shot has sped. 

Many imagine that a man who is constitution- 
ally nervous cannot become a good shot with 
the rifle. This is a delusion similar to the one 
about the " cold gray shooting eye." There is 
nothing in it. Temperament does not rule in 
marksmanship. Some of the best offhand rifle 
shots of our time are noticeably nervous men. 
Dr. W. G. Hudson, himself an expert marks- 
man, says : " Much has been said about the 
ability to shoot well being due to ' strong nerves ' 

— whatever that may mean. Riflemen often 
refer to an anticipated day's shooting by saying 
they are 'going to try their nerve.' According 
to my observation as a physician, however, nerve 
has little to do with it. I have had expert rifle- 
men under my care suffering from pronounced 
neurasthenia, — the very word means weak nerves, 

— and they could, even during the height of their 



The Hunting Rifle 173 

disorder, shoot almost if not quite as well as 
when they were in good health. We really do 
not know exactly what physical element it is that 
is the chief factor in making one an expert rifle- 
man, but I am inclined to think it is a certain 
education or development of coordination more 
than anything else." 

Some men never become good shots, despite 
the most faithful practice. Some have a natural 
aptitude for it. But no one is born a marksman, 
in the sense that he can become expert without 
persistent and intelligent practice. Almost any 
one can become a pretty good shot, if he tries, 
and is not easily discouraged. Some must try 
harder than others. 

The next step is target practice at unknown 
distances. For this purpose one should go to 
the woods or coast and shoot at natural objects, 
purposely choosing those that are not very dis- 
tinct to the eye, because game seldom is, and the 
shooting should be at short ranges, at first. It 
is both wasteful and dangerous to use full-power 
hunting ammunition in this work. Reduced 
charges of powder, and lead bullets, loaded by 
the shooter himself, should be used. Some sug- 
gestions about reloading ammunition will be 



174 Gims, Ammunition, and Tackle 

given hereafter. Shooting at estimated dis- 
tances, amid surroundings as nearly as possible 
like those of the hunting field, is of the greatest 
benefit to a beginner. He should first try his 
hand at stationary marks, and then at moving 
objects. It is of little benefit to shoot at marks 
tossed into the air by an assistant, because game 
does not behave that way. A keg rolled down 
a hill of moderate gradient but rough surface 
is a good mark. It should be tried both to the 
right and to the left, and from behind, at different 
angles. 

Practice shooting uphill and downhill, and 
across ravines from one hill to another; also 
across water. Try shooting toward the sun, 
and at varying angles toward it and away from 
it. Practice in the dimness of dawn and twi- 
light. In the winter, try shooting over the 
snow. Frequently choose large objects of uni- 
form color, not very distinct from the back- 
ground, and try to hit the centre. 

This latter class of shooting at marks is of 
much more value to a hunter or soldier than 
shooting at regular targets at known distances, 
and it should be done in all kinds of weather, 
whenever one has an opportunity. Light charges 



The Hunting Rifle 175 

and lead bullets loaded by the sportsman himself 
are so cheap that he can indulge in plenty of 
practice ; and it is practice that makes the 
marksman. 

Never shoot at a mark unless you know that 
it, or something immediately back of it, will stop 
the bullet. Always handle a gun as though it 
were loaded ; then the habit will become second 
nature. It is awkward to face a man's relatives 
after you have shot him. 

Reloading Ammunition 

When small-bore rifles using smokeless powder 
and mantled bullets were introduced, our rifle- 
men immediately began to experiment with re- 
loaded ammunition in them. The first efforts 
were abortive. Black gunpowder could not be 
used in such rifles, owing to excessive fouling 
in the quick twist. Shells that had been fired 
with service charges were rendered so brittle 
that they would split or crack off at the neck, 
and the necked part would sometimes be blown 
up into the rifling. Ordinary lead bullets would 
strip, or fuse at the base, and would lead the 
barrel. Cartridge manufacturers declared that 



1/6 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

it was impracticable to reload the shells, and that 
it was unsafe for amateurs to experiment with 
smokeless powders in rifles. In so far as these 
warnings applied to reckless and unintelligent per- 
sons who merely " guessed at it," they were fully 
justified, as many a bulged or burst rifle proved. 

But users of high-power rifles still insisted that 
they must have ammunition of moderate strength 
for target practice and small game shooting, so 
that they could learn to handle well the weapons 
that they would use in hunting big game. The 
regular factory-loaded ammunition was too expen- 
sive for ordinary shooting, too dangerous to use 
in settled districts, and its erosion of the barrel 
was so great as to limit its usefulness to actual 
field work. To meet this demand, ammunition 
makers brought out certain short-range car- 
tridges charged with very light loads of smoke- 
less powder and naked, unlubricated lead bullets. 
These, as might have been expected, were so 
weak and inaccurate as to be quite worthless. 
Then the amateurs tackled the problem in ear- 
nest. After many disappointments, they have 
at last succeeded in devising light and medium 
loads for high-power rifles that are cheap, accu- 
rate, and satisfactor}' all around. 



The Hunting Rifle 177 

Full instructions for loading such ammunition 
are given in the " Ideal Handbook " (Ideal Manu- 
facturing Company, New Haven, Connecticut). 
I can also cordially recommend the book on 
" Modern Rifle Shooting from an American 
Standpoint," by Dr. W. G. Hudson (Laflin and 
Rand Powder Company, New York), for details 
as to the proper loading and handling of rifles. 

In 1899 I designed for the .30 U.S.A. car- 
tridge the bullet numbered 308206 in the " Ideal 
Handbook." Moulds were made in two sizes, 
casting bullets of 125 and 170 grains weight, 
respectively. The former was satisfactory up 
to 150 yards, but the latter did not give as 
good results at longer ranges as I had hoped 
for. Moulds casting bullets of this pattern are 
now furnished by the Ideal Manufacturing Com- 
pany for all American high-power rifles and for 
several foreign arms. Recently Dr. Hudson has 
designed two bullets (Nos. 308256 and 308259) 
which give excellent results at 200 yards and 
upward. He was, I believe, the first who called 
attention to the fact that rifles supposedly alike 
vary considerably in actual caliber, and that if 
bullets used with smokeless powder did not 
entirely fill the rifling to the bottom of the 



178 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

grooves, the powder gas would leak past, caus- 
ing unsteady flight. He also discovered that 
bullets cast of ordinary alloy were liable to fuse 
around the edges of the base from the heat gen- 
erated by smokeless powder. His bullets of 
recent pattern, cast of an alloy consisting of 7 
per cent tin, 7 per cent antimony, and 86 per 
cent lead, and properly lubricated, are excellent 
for target practice, riot service, etc., when used 
with such loads of smokeless powder as he rec- 
ommends. Ammunition for the .30-40-220, thus 
reloaded by the rifleman himself, costs only $5.50 
a thousand (or $3.15 a thousand if the metal is 
gathered up at the targets and remoulded), not 
counting the first cost of the shells, which are 
bought empty and are used over and over 
again. 

Bottle-necked shells give more trouble in re- 
loading than straight or tapered shells, being 
somewhat bothersome to resize, and they are 
weaker. Those which have been fired with ser- 
vice charge should not be reloaded, as they are 
brittle ; but empty primed shells should be bought 
and these may be used scores of times with re- 
duced charges. Decidedly the best all-round 
cartridges are those like the .32-40, which was 



The Hunting Rifle 179 

originally designed for black powder and lead 
bullets, and is used in rifles of slow twist. Rifles 
for this cartridge are now made with barrels of 
extra strength, which are safe and accurate both 
with black powder and with high power smoke- 
less. The latter should not be used in old-fash- 
ioned .32-40 rifles, which have weak barrels. 

Any intelligent person may be trusted to re- 
load his own ammunition, provided he follows 
implicitly the instructions given by powder manu- 
facturers and makers of reloading tools. But no 
one should experiment with different loads of 
smokeless powders, or with different brands, un- 
less he has accurate scales with which to weigh 
the charges, nor unless he tests progressively, 
increasing his loads by only one grain at a time 
and watching the effect of increasing pressure 
on the primers. 

Smokeless powders for small arms are of two 
distinct classes : — 

1. Quick-burning, for shot-guns, pistols, and 
very light loads in rifles. 

2. Slow-burning, for regular charges in rifles. 
If a full charge of shot-gun smokeless is used in 

If 

a rifle, it will burn too quickly, set up excessive 
pressure, and probably burst the gun. A charge 



i8o Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 

of shot is much more easily started in a gun- 
barrel than a solid bullet. The latter, if too sud- 
denly started, has a tamping effect. Smokeless 
rifle powder burns slowly and progressively, if not 
tightly confined, gradually increasing its press- 
ure until the bullet leaves the barrel. Its effect 
may be likened to that of a steadily increasing 
push, and that of shot-gun smokeless (behind a 
bullet) to a blow. The latter should never be 
used in rifles, save in minute charges, loose in 
the shell, for indoor practice with light bullets. 

Smokeless powder should never be compressed 
in the shell, as black powder usually is. It re- 
quires an air space. If tightly packed behind the 
bullet, it develops a dangerous pressure. No 
wads, sawdust, or other filling should be used 
between powder and bullet, even though very light 
loads be used. If the powder and primer be of 
the right kinds, the ignition will be perfect when 
the powder is loose. The shell should be crimped 
on the bullet. 

If a small heap of smokeless powder is ignited 
in the open, it does not explode like black gun- 
powder, but merely burns away. In order to 
explode, it must be confined. The rate of its 
explosion and the amount of pressure developed 



The Hunting Rifle i8i 

depend very much upon how tightly it is confined 
and how much resistance is offered to the ex- 
pansion of its gases. If packed tightly in the 
shell, or if loaded behind a heavier bullet than 
the charge is intended for, it may explode vio- 
lently, like dynamite, and burst the barrel. 

Riflemen should not draw hasty conclusions 
from the fact that high velocity ammunition is 
now supplied for certain old-fashioned rifles 
with ordinary soft steel barrels. I refer to the 
.38-40-180, 44-40-200, .45-70-300, .45-90-300, 
and .50-110-300 H. V. cartridges loaded to give 
initial velocities of from 1 500 to 2150 feet. These 
have very light bullets in proportion to their 
calibers, and hence do not develop great press- 
ures. The same powder charges behind heavy 
bullets would be decidedly unsafe in such guns. 

Strong loads of smokeless powder should never 
be used behind unjacketed lead bullets. The 
latter may upset enough to have a tamping 
effect. They will at least melt at the base, and 
fly wild. 

The mere thickness of a rifle barrel is no guar- 
antee of its strength. I have seen the ponderous 
barrel of a 14-pound single-shot target rifle 
(.32-40) broken short off about 6 inches in front 



1 82 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

of the breech, and the rear portion split length- 
wise into two pieces, which were hurled in dif- 
ferent directions, by a charge of quick-burning 
smokeless powder fired behind a common lead 
bullet. The breech action of the gun was blown 
to fragments, and the butt of the stock alone was 
left in the shooter's hand. Both he and the by- 
standers were seriously imperilled by this igno- 
rant and foolhardy experiment. The eyesight of 
the man who fired the shot was saved by his 
thick glasses, which were ruined by flying par- 
ticles of steel. He escaped with a burst ear- 
drum and wounded hands. 

Cast lead bullets should be at least yww^ ^^^^"^ 
larger than the diameter between grooves of rifle- 
barrel, to prevent gas-cutting. The base of the 
bullet should be quite clean, as grease affects 
some smokeless powders quite seriously. The 
bullets should fit with uniform tightness in the 
shells ; consequently the latter should be resized, 
first by swaging them down so that they will 
enter freely into the chamber, and then expand- 
ing the necks to their proper diameter, so that 
they will not injure the bases of the bullets, which 
invariably should be sharp and true. 

A rifle-barrel that has been shot with full 



The Hunting Rifle 183 

power charge should be thoroughly cleaned be- 
fore lead bullets are used in it, as some smokeless 
powders leave a tough, gummy residue in the 
barrel which makes lead adhere to it. Bullets 
patched with paper require that the rifle be 
cleaned after every shot, and they are nuisances. 

• Care of the Rifle 

The residue left in the barrel by some smoke- 
less powders causes the steel to rust, while that 
of others does not ; but in all cases the barrel 
should be thoroughly cleaned after using, and not 
let stand dirty until the next day, for the products 
of primer combustion are extremely corrosive. 

A gun that has been shot with smokeless 
powder is more troublesome to clean than one 
used with black gunpowder, because the residue 
is so sticky. Dr. Hudson recommends dip- 
ping a brass wire cleaning brush in a special 
nitro-cleaner, scrubbing it back and forth, from 
the breech, if possible, and allowing the brush to 
turn and follow the rifling ; then letting the gun 
stand for a time, afterward thoroughly swabbing 
with a dry rag on the knob of the cleaning rod, 
and finishing with a rag wet in the solution. The 



184 Gims, Ammunition, and Tackle 

composition of this nitro-cleaner is Astral Oil 
(tested and found free from acid), 2 fluid oz. ; 
Sperm Oil, i fl. oz. ; Turpentine, i fl. oz. ; Ace- 
tone, I fl. oz. Mix. It is a good rust preventive 
as well. Vaseline or cosmoline, or any animal oil 
that has a good body and is free from acid, is a 
good enough preventive of rust if the gun is fre- 
quently looked after ; but if it is to be put away 
for a considerable time, or exposed to salt air, 
its bore should be swabbed with mercurial oint- 
ment. 

Before going on a hunting trip, see that you 
have in your kit an extractor for broken shells 
and a copper plug that fits the bore of the gun 
between the lands, so that it will slip down the 
barrel rather easily. The latter is to drive out 
the neck of a shell that may have been blown 
too far up in the rifling for the other extractor to 
reach it. A brass rod for driving it is required. 
Extra parts of the breech mechanism that are 
liable to break should also be carried. 

The Rifle in the Field 

A novice's notion of the appearance of game is 
such as he gets from a visit to the Zoo, or from 



The Hunting Rifle 185 

a picture like Landseer's " Stag at Bay." When 
he looks for anything like this in the woods he 
will not see it. Let him study good photographs 
of wild birds on their nests, and note how the 
protective resemblance of their plumage makes 
them hard to catch with the eye. It is so with 
most animals, in cover. So long as a wild animal 
is motionless, it is difficult to distinguish from the 
brush and the grass and the tree trunks. 

No matter how close a hunter may be to game, 
he should not shoot at the animal as a whole. He 
should pick out a particular spot, a small spot, a 
vital spot, and shoot for it with nail-driving aim. 
Otherwise he may miss a deer within brickbat 
range. 

The best broadside mark is immediately behind 
the shoulder and only one-third of the way from 
the lower edge of the chest — in other words, the 
region of the heart. It is much better to hit a 
little farther forward than this, and thus smash 
the shoulder, than to hit farther back or higher ; 
for either of the latter shots will probably result 
in a long chase. 

If the game runs away after you have shot, 
look for blood on the ground and bushes where 
it stood, and along its trail. If you do not find 



1 86 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

blood, or signs of staggering, give it up. You 
might as well chase after a rainbow. 

Beware of overshooting when aiming downhill, 
because you then see more of the top of the ani- 
mal than when you are on a level with it. Make 
no allowance for distance in either uphill or 
downhill shooting, unless the shot be an uncom- 
monly long one. For what seem to be long shots 
downhill remember that, so far as trajectory is 
concerned, the only distance to be considered is 
that from the game to a point level with the animal 
and directly under you. In shooting uphill, re- 
gard only the air-lme distance from yourself to 
the mark, and do not try to allow for any extra 
"lift" required by the high angle, or you will 
almost surely overdo it. 

When shooting at running game, pick out an 
open space that the animal will cross, raise the 
rifle deliberately, and be sure that you see the 
sights as clearly as in target shooting. Then, 
and not till then, pay attention to the game also ; 
aim for a particular spot in the open space that 
the animal will pass, and shoot just before it 
reaches that spot, the distance ahead depending 
upon the angle and speed of the beast's flight. 
Unless the ground is uncommonly open, this is 



The Hunting Rifle 187 

better than holding first on the game and then 
swinging the gun ahead, for you are at least sure 
of a clear space to shoot through. 

This is all that can be told on paper. The 
rest — and it is indeed a great deal — must be 
learned by experience. 



THE THEORY OF RIFLE-SHOOTING 

By W. E. Carlin 



THE THEORY OF RIFLE-SHOOTING 

, There is among shooters more or less of a 
feeling that theory is necessarily an ideal sort 
of a thing — of little practical value. 

At any other stage of the world's history this 
would not seem strange ; but at the dawn of the 
twentieth century, when scientific thought is about 
to rule the civilized world, and when on every 
hand we see our necessities, comforts, and luxuries 
supplied by scientific means, we can but feel that 
ignorance and prejudice are responsible for such 
a belief. 

Science is organized thought. It has no emo- 
tions, hobbies, or bias. Its business is to investi- 
gate and discover reason for phenomena. Its one 
end is the establishment of the highest probability 
of truth. 

It is extremely difficult for the human mind to 

free itself from conventional prejudice, and science 

has always had to struggle against this. 

191 



192 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

There was a time, at the dawn of scientific 
thought, when reasoning was deduced only from 
observed phenomena and experiment. These 
fragmentary laws were established, listed, and were 
gradually pieced together into a logical system, 
until the time came when science could reason 
both inductively and deductively, and could point 
out the road for practice to follow. 

The inventor who designs and the mechanic 
who perfects a piece of mechanism could do 
nothing without the principle upon which to 
work. The great value lies in the established 
principle and not in the perfecting of it. 

If everything were lost to us except the under- 
lying principle, it would take but a few years to 
develop them again ; while the principles them- 
selves have taken untold ages to discover. 

It is but a few years ago that arms, ammuni- 
tion, etc., were designed by the mechanic. To- 
day all the great pieces are designed by experts. 
Every detail of the manufacture — the strains, 
recoil, range tables, velocities, etc. — are found 
upon paper before the making of the gun is begun. 

Unfortunately for the layman the study of bal- 
listics is an intricate one, requiring the use of the 
highest mathematics, but that does not prevent 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 193 

one from gaining a little insight into the elements 
of the subject; and it is well to do so in order that 
he may not entertain certain false notions that 
are more or less prevalent among shooters. 

In simplifying this subject, some accuracy is 
sacrificed. The methods are more or less em- 
pirical, and can be understood by any one who 
knows arithmetic. Those who wish to pursue 
the subject further are referred to the following 
list of books: — 

Works referred to 

The Bashforth Chronograph. 

Text-book of Gunnery, 1887 (Royal Military Academy). 
Problems in Direct Fire. Captain James M. Ingalls. 
Hyde's Gunnery. 

Proceedings of the Royal Artillery Institution ; and Notes on 
Guns and Gunnery, by the Author. 

In Vacuo 

When a bullet emerges from a gun-barrel, it is 
acted upon by three forces — the propellent force 
of the powder gases, the resistance of the air, 
and the force of gravity. We will at first neglect 
the resistance of the air and consider the pro- 
jectile as fired in a vacuum, acted upon only by 
the propellent force and the force of gravity. 



194 Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 

Terrestrial gravitation, or the force of gravity, 
compels every unsupported body to fall immedi- 
ately in a straight line toward the centre of the 
earth. It has been found from experiment that 
an object starting from rest will fall a distance of 
1 6 ft. at the end of one second, and that at the 
end of the second second the body will fall through 
four spaces of i6 ft. or 64 ft, and so on. From 
this we learn that gravity is an accelerating force ; 
also that the distance fallen will vary as the 
square of the time. 

Gravity being a constant force at any one point 
on the earth's surface, it is therefore an uniformly 
accelerating force. Such a force is measured by 
twice the space fallen through in one second 
of time. This being 16 ft., the velocity of fall 
will be twice 16 ft, or 32 ft. per second. (The 
force varies from 32.5ft.-sec. at the poles, to 32.1 
ft-sec. at the equator.) 

As shown, the velocity of a falling body is 32 
ft.-sec. at the end of the first second, 64 ft.-sec. 
at the end of the second second, and so on for any 
number of seconds or fractional parts of a second. 
In -J sec. the velocity would be J of 32 ft.-sec, or 
16 ft.-sec; in \ second, \ of 32, or 8 ft.-sec, etc 
So that to find the velocity of a falling body, mul- 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 



195 



tiply the time in seconds by the acceleration of 
gravity. This acceleration is represented by the 
letter g. 

The space fallen through in each second is 
equal to the mean velocity for that second. Thus, 
a falling body starting from rest, or with a velocity 
of o, would have a velocity of 32 ft.-sec. at the end 
of the first second ; the mean velocity would be 
•J of 32 +0= 16, so that the fall in the first second 
is 16 ft. 

A body starts at the beginning of the second 
second with a velocity of 32 ft.-sec, and at the end 
of the second second the velocity is 64 ft.-sec. 
The mean velocity is therefore J of 32 + 64 = 48 ft., 
the space fallen through in second second, and 
so on. 

The total distance fallen in the first and second 
seconds is therefore 1 6 -f 48 = 64 ft. 

The following table will illustrate these rela- 
tions. 





Time in Seconds 


Velocity at End 
OF Each Second 


Drop in Respec- 
tive Seconds 


Total Drop at 

End of Each 

Period 


I 
2 

3 


32 ft.-sec. 
64 ft.-sec. 
96 ft.-sec. 


16 ft. 
48 ft. 
80 ft. 


16 ft. 

64 ft. 

144 ft. 





196 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

The simple formula, giving the total drop for 
any given time (from rest) is : — 

H= time^ >< 2 .^ 5 usually H= J gt"^ ; 
in which 

H= total height fallen, 
/ = time in seconds, 
g = acceleration of gravity. 

Also, the fall in any given time, from rest or 
otherwise : — 

H= time x mean velocity ; 

initial vel. x final vel. 

= time . 

2 

The value of g has been roughly stated to be 

32 ft. The value of g in New York is 32.1685 ft. ; 

and J ^ = 16.084 ft., or 193 in. In ^00 of a 

second a bullet will drop (using the formula) 

^= 193 [1^ X Tk] = -oi93in. 

No matter how short the time, there must be 
some drop. The bullet begins to fall the instant 
it is free from the support of the gun-barrel. 
This will free one's mind at once of the idea that 
a bullet can travel a short distance in a straight 
line. " Flat " trajectory is an incorrect term ; 
" low " trajectory is better. 

The bullet starts under the influence of the 



The Theory of Rifles booting 197 

force of projection, and would move forward in a 
straight line unless it was affected by another 
force. The instant that the bullet passes from 
the gun muzzle and is free from support, it begins 
to drop toward the earth under the influence of 
gravity. The forward motion does not alter the 
drop ; it simply carries the bullet over a certain 
space while it is falling. And as the drop is 
constantly increasing, the path or trajectory of 
the bullet is a curve. 

Let AC represent the axis of the bore produced 
(this is an imaginary line from which the bullet 
is constantly dropping away), and suppose each 
of the equal spaces i, 2, 3, etc., is traversed in a 
second of time. From what has been said, the 
bullet would have dropped at i, 16 ft.; at 2, 
16x4 ft, at 3, 16 X 9 ft. Drawing a line through 
these points thus found, we have the curve of 
the bullet. 

In a vacuum all bodies fall equal distances in 
equal times. If a bullet were let drop from C, 
and another, fired with a higher velocity than our 
original bullet from A, both at the same instant, 
they would reach the plane AB together, al- 
though the bullet fired with the higher velocity 
would have traversed a greater horizontal range 



198 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

during this time, and would consequently have a 
lower trajectory. 

It is of no practical value to give examples 
of problems in vacuo, excepting the following 
simple method of finding the ordinates of the 
trajectory. 

The ordinates of the trajectory are the heights 
of the bullet y, y '; above the horizontal plane AB 




Fig. I. 



the angle of elevation is the angle made by the 
axis of the bore produced, AC, with the line AB. 
The line of sight makes a constantly diminishing 
angle with the horizontal plane AB, intersecting 
it at the point aimed at. (See EB, Fig. i.) 

To find the height of a bullet above the line 
AC at any point of the range, we have the follow- 
ing simple formula, deduced by Colonel Sladen, 
R.A., from the conditions in vacuo: — 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 199 

y=ll{^T-t\ in which 

y = the vertical distance above the plane AC, 
^=the acceleration of gravity, 32.16, 

t = time of flight from muzzle to point at which 

ordinate y is to be found, 

T= total time of flight over the whole range. 

• 

Example 

Given a bullet having a muzzle velocity of 1200 ft. -sec, 
the angle of elevation such that the bullet in its descent cuts 
the horizontal plane at a distance of 200 yd. from the muzzle. 
To find the height of the bullet above the plane AC at 50, 100, 
and 150 yd. 

Find first the value of T, or total time of flight, as follows : 
Divide the range in feet by the muzzle velocity in foot-seconds, 

or YTu^ — i s^c-» tot^^ ^'"^^ of flight. 

The time of flight at 50, 100, 150 yd. is found in the same 

manner. 

Value of / at 50 yd. = y^sj)^ = .125 sec. 

Value of /at 100 yd. = ^gW =-25 sec. 
Value of /at 150 yd. = -^^ = .375 sec. 

Substituting these values in their proper places in the formula, 
we have, for 50 yd. : — 

32.16 X .125 , . -, . 

y = 2 ^-5 ~ -^^5) = -7537 ft. = 9-04 m., 

which is the height of the bullet at 50 yd. 

In the same manner, the height at 100 yd. is found to be 
12.06 in. ; and at 150 yd., 9.04 in. 



200 Guns, Ammunitimt, and Tackle 

As will be explained, this formula, slightly modified, gives 
fair results for the trajectories of high- velocity bullets in air. 

The Resistance of the Air 

The atmosphere which surrounds the earth is 
an elastic fluid, and the nearer the earth's surface 
the greater is its pressure, owing to the attraction 
of gravity and the superincumbent strata. The 
bullet in its flight must displace the air, and the 
resistance that it meets in so doing is far greater 
than one would at first suppose, while all the ir- 
regularities in the flight of a projectile are caused 
by the resistance of the air, as will be seen in the 
chapter on Drift. 

Since much of the energy of the bullet is used 
to overcome this resistance, its velocity is being 
constantly reduced. We all know how difficult 
it is to walk against a wind of 60 mi. an hour, 
while wind of 100 mi. an hour (147 ft. per sec.) 
exercises a pressure of 50 lb. per square foot, and 
will uproot large trees. It is immaterial whether 
the wind blows against an object at rest or 
whether the object moves with the wind's velocity 
against still air. 

It is little wonder, then, that rifle bullets, travel- 
ling at such great velocities as 1 200 to 2000 ft.-sec, 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 201 



meet with tremendous resistance and lose their 
speed rapidly. 

The following are examples of actual resistances 
experienced by ogival-headed projectiles of i in. 
and 4 in. diameters : — 



Velocity 


i-iN. Projectile 


4-IN. Projectile 


900 ft.-sec. 
1200 ft.-sec. 
1500 ft.-sec. 
1700 ft.-sec. 


1.45 ft.-lbs. 

5.84 ft.-lbs. 
10.19 ft.-lbs. 
12.80 ft.-lbs. 


23.3 ft.-lbs. 

94. ft.-lbs. 
163. ft.-lbs. 
205. ft.-lbs. 



A bullet therefore would drop much more in 
air than in a vacuum. 

Suppose a certain .45 cal. bullet, having a muz- 
zle velocity of 1300 ft.-sec, be shot iti vacuo and 
in air, the relative drop is as follows : — 

Horizontal Range 







100 Yd. 


200 Yd. 


300 Yd, 


Drop in inches in a vacuum 
Drop in inches in air 


10.2 
11.9 


41. 1 
54.07 


92.4 
135- 





It will be noticed how much the difference in 
drop increases at the longer ranges, and this would 



202 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

be still more apparent in the case of a lighter 
bullet, which loses its velocity so much more 
rapidly. This difference in drop is due to the 
projectile having lost much of its velocity in the 
air, and has therefore taken longer to reach each 
range, and gravity has had a longer time in which 
to act. 

The resistance encountered by a projectile de- 
pends upon its velocity, smoothness and shape of 
head, and the area it presents to the resistance of 
the air. 

The area of surface depends upon the sectional 
area of the projectile and its steadiness in flight. 

The resistance varies directly with the area. 
A projectile which has twice the area of another 
will experience twice the resistance. 

In order to compare bullets, one with another, 
in their ability to overcome air resistance and 
sustain their velocities, we have the following 
relations : — 

The area of a circle varies as the square of the 
diameter or 8^ ; and as the horizontal section of a 
bullet is a circle, we may say that the resistance 
varies as h^. 

The ability to overcome this resistance depends 
upon the weight of the bullet, written W', and in 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 203 

order to make use of a convenient set of tables, 
these values are combined into a ballistic coeffi- 
cient as follows : — 

— ; m which 

w 

8 = the diameter of the projectile in inches 
a/ = the weight of the bullet in pounds. 

We have said that the resistance varies also 
greatly with the velocity. Unfortunately no in- 
tegral exponent will represent this law ; but Pro- 
fessor Bashforth found, as the result of his classic 
experiments, that the following laws were prac- 
tically correct between their limits : — 

For velocities greater than 1300 ft.-sec, the resistance varies 

as the square of the vel. or V^. 
For velocities between iioo and 1300 ft.-sec, the resistance 

varies as the square of the vel. or V^. 
For velocities between 1000 and iioo ft.-sec, the resistance 

varies as the square of the vel. or V^. 
For velocities between 820 and 1000 ft.-sec, the resistance 

varies as the square of the vel. or V^ . 
For velocities less than 820 ft.-sec, the resistance varies as 

the square of the vel. or V. 

It will be noticed that the sudden rise in re- 
sistance to the sixth power occurs about the 
velocity of sound. Although this fact was noted 
by Benjamin Robins in 1742, it was neglected by 



204 Guns, Ammimition, and Tackk 

subsequent experimenters, until Mr. Bashforth 
reaffirmed Robins's views and fixed a value to 
this sudden rise. 

If we wish to express the resistance to a pro- 
jectile moving at 1400 ft.-sec, we may write it 
h'^V^. Since the resistance is overcome by the 
weight of the projectile, and since the weight 
varies as the cube of the diameter, or 8^ the re- 

tardation may be expressed by . This is an 

o 

interesting relation, for by examining the formula 
we see that an elongated is greatly superior to a 
round projectile, for the length and weight of the 
elongated may be altered at will without chang- 
ing the diameter. A good weight and small 
diameter are necessary to preserve velocity. We 
also see that a large round shot has the advantage 
over a small one ; for as we increase the diameter, 
the weight will increase more rapidly than the area. 

All of us have, no doubt, seen it stated that 
small round shot are to be preferred, as they pene- 
trate farther than large ones. As just explained, 
this is not the case ! It makes no difference what 
the resistance be, whether from air or flesh, the 
result is the same. 

The shape of head has considerable influence 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 205 

on the resistance experienced. It has been found 
that when the resistance to a hemispherical head 
may be represented by i (unity), the resistance 
to the other forms of the same diameter are about 
as follows : — 

1. When the resistance to a hemispherical head = i, 

2. The resistance to a hemispheroidal head = 0.78 ; 

3. The resistance to an ogival head of i diam. = 0.78 ; 

4. The resistance to an ogival head of 2 diam. = 0.83 ; 

5. The resistance to a flat head = 1.53. 

The resistance to projectiles in common use is 
about that shown by Nos. 2, 3, 4, etc. 

The slope of the point seems not to be so im- 
portant as the shoulder — where the head joins 
the body. 

The density of air depends upon its nearness 
to the earth's surface, its temperature, and the 
moisture it contains. The warmer it is the lighter. 
The weights of aqueous vapor and air are to each 
other as 0.6235 : i.oooo. The tables which we will 
make use of are calculated for 66f per cent of 
moisture, but any difference may be neglected for 
our purposes. 

S^ 
As has been said, — is called the ballistic coeffi- 
w 

cient. 



2o6 Guns, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

Example 
Find the value of — for a .45 bullet of 500 gr. Substituting 

the values in the formula, we have 500' " 'soo • ^^ ^^ 

easier now to invert the denominator of this fraction and multi- 

, , , ,• • , , • 1 , .2025 X 7000 
ply by 7000, then divide this result by 500, = 

2.835, which is the value of — . (The 7000 is introduced in 

the denominator to reduce grains to pounds.) By knowing 
the value of the ballistic coefficient we may make use of the 
tables to find the remaining velocities, times of flight, etc. 

There are two tables for use with elongated 
bullets, and two for round shot. 

The Sv table represents the relation between 
space or distance and velocity. The Tv table 
represents time and velocity. The difference 
table shows the difference in the tabular num- 
bers. While the values are calculated for projec- 
tiles with ogival heads of i^ diameters, they may 
be used for ordinary rifle bullets without any 
great error. 

To use the Sv table, we have the relation 

S^ 

-s = SV-Sv] 

w 

in which s is the range in feet (always reduce 
yards to feet). SV\s the tabular number repre- 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 207 

senting the velocity at the beginning of the 
range. Sv is the tabular number representing 
the velocity at the end of the range. 

Example 

In what range will a .45 cal. bullet of 500 grs. be reduced 
in velocity from 1200 ft.-sec. to 1024 ft.-sec? We must find 
J, and therefore transposing, our formula becomes, 

SV-Sv §2 



Now, looking in the table we find the velocity 1200 ft.-sec, 
and on the same horizontal line under the heading SF we 
find the tabular number 405 1 4.1 1, but we do not find any 
corresponding to 1024 ft.-sec. As the tables are abridged to 
intervals of 10 ft.-sec, we therefore select the nearest ve- 
locity that is less than 1024, and this is 1020 ft.-sec; and the 
corresponding tabular number is 39,030.04. The correspond- 
ing number in the difference column is 125.74, which is for a 
difference of 10 ft.-sec, so that for 4 ft.-sec. we take .4 of 
125.74, which is 50.29 ; this we add to 

39030.04 and we have 

50-29 
39080.33 

which is the required Sv number for 1024 ft.-sec. 
Now, subtracting the tabular numbers 405 14. 11 

39080.33 

we have 1433.78 diff. 



2o8 Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 

And dividing this difference by 

w 2.835 3 J' » 

which is the required range. 

The following examples illustrate the use to which the 
tables may be put : — 

Problem i 

Given the muzzle velocity and the value of — , to find the 

w 

remaining velocity at any distance from the gun. 

Example I 
The bullet from a new military rifle of .303 cal, weighs 
215 gr. and has a muzzle velocity of 1900 ft. -sec. Find the 
velocity of the bullet at 200 and 500 yd. from the gim. 

— =2.989. 
Transposing, the formula becomes 

Sv=SV--s. 

w 

From table, 1900 ft.-sec. = 43753.43 
Multiplying — by range in feet, 2.989 x 600 = 1703,40 



Subtracting, 41960.03 
which is the tabular Sv number. 

Looking in the tables, we find the nearest number, less than 
41960.03, to be 41945.77, which corresponds to 1470 ft.-sec. 
Subtracting these numbers, 41960.03 

41945-77 
we have 14.26 



The Theory of Rifle-sbooting 209 

The tabular difference for intervals of lo ft.-sec. is 46.10. 
To find how many foot-seconds the difference 14.26 repre- 
sents, we multiply it by 10, which gives 142.6, and divide this 
number by 46.1, which gives 3 ft. per second. Adding this 3 
ft.-sec. to 1470 ft.-sec. gives us 1473 ft.-sec, remaining velocity 
at 200 yd. 

For 500 yd. (as before) : — 

1900 ft.-sec. = 4375343 

2.989x1500= 4483.50 

Subtracting, 39269.93 

Nearest tabular number, 39155-78 = 1030 ft.-sec. 

Subtracting, 1 14.15 = 9.5 ft.-sec. 

Remaining velocity at 500 yd. = 1039 -5 ft.-sec. 

Example II 

In the field trials a .50-cal. double rifle by Jefferies, shooting 
138 gr. powder and a bullet of 132 gr., gave a muzzle velocity 
of 1946 ft.-sec. What is remaining velocity at 200 yd. from 

the gun, — = 5.1 16 ? 

The nearest velocity in the tables which is less than 1946 
ft.-sec. is 1900 ft.-sec, and the corresponding tabular num- 
ber is 43905-78 

Adding .6 of the corresponding difference 37.66 = 22.59 

which gives the tabular number for 1946 ft.-sec. = 43928.37 
Now, as in Example I, 5.116x600 = 3069.60 

Sv number = 40858.77 

which corresponds to a remaining velocity of 1256.9 ft.-sec. 
at 200 yd. 
p 



2IO Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

Table II for round shot is used in the same manner as 
Table I. 

Example 

A .50-cal. round bullet, weighing 200 gr., 'has a muzzle 
velocity of 1900 ft.-sec. Find the remaining velocity at 200 
yd. 

— = 8.75. 

Tabular number for 1900 ft.-sec. = 15869.98 
8.75 X 600 = 5250.00 
Subtracting = 10619.98 
Nearest tabular number = 10602.60 = 800 ft.-sec. 
Difference = 17.38= 1.3 ft.-sec. 
Remaining velocity at 200 yd. = 801.3 ft.-sec. 

One will notice that the bullets in these examples started 
out with about the same MF, but the remaining velocities 
differ greatly owing to the difference in the relative value of 

their ballistic coefficients — . At longer ranges the differ- 
ence is still more noticeable. 

Tables I and II are calculated on the supposition that the 
thermometer stands at 60° F., and the barometer at 30 in., 
and that the atmosphere contains 66| per cent of saturation. 
The weight of a cubic foot of air will be, under these condi- 
tions, 534.22 gr. Any increase or decrease in these normal 
conditions may be allowed for by using Table III. 

Example 

Taking the data from Example II, suppose that the ther- 
mometer stood at 35° F. and the barometer 30.2 in. 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 211 

Referring to Table III, we find the thermometer heading 
in first column under F. and on the same horizontal line 
under the head 30 (which is the barometer reading), the 
number 1.053, ^^^ i" the difference column the number 
.035, which is the difference for y^^°; but as we have in this 
case 3^°, multiply .035 by 2 = .070. This added to 1.053 
gives 1.06, which is the new tabular number for the stated 
conditions. 

The allowance for the increased density of the air is made 

by multiplying — 5. 116 by 1.06, which gives 5.422 for the 

g2 

new value of • — 

w 

Now, proceeding as in Example 11, we have 
1946 ft.-sec. = 43928.37 
5.422 X 600 = 3253-20 
40675.17 

40638.76 =1220 ft.-sec. 
36.41 = 5.9 ft.-sec. 

1225.9 ft.-sec. remaining ve- 
locity at 200 yd., at a loss of 31 ft.-sec. from the normal. 
Should the air be lighter than normal, the tabular number 

8^ 
will be less than unltv, so that multiplying the value of — 

w 

g2 

by it, the value of — will be diminished, and consequently 
there will be a gain in velocity over the normal. 

Problem 2 

Given the value of — and the velocity at any range, to 



find the muzzle velocity. 



212 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

Reversing Example II 
Given, a bullet weight 342 gr., cal. .50 in., remaining 
velocity at 200 yd. 1256.9 ft. -sec. Find muzzle velocity. 
Sv number for 1250 ft.-sec. = 40818.36 
Difference for 6.9 ft.-sec. = 40.04 

1 256.9 ft.-sec. = 40858.40 
5.116x600= 3069.60 

43928.00 
Nearest tabular number = 43905.78= 1940 ft.-sec. 

Difference 22.22 = 5.9+ ft.-sec. 

.*. muzzle velocity = 1945.9+ ft.-sec. 

When taking velocities of bullets and shot by means of 
a chronograph, it is customary to do so over short ranges, 
such as 100 ft. or 120 ft. In this case the velocity obtained 
is the mean velocity over the range, and this is assumed 
to be the actual velocity at mid range. 

For example : — 

A bullet of .45 cal., weighing 140 gr., has a mean velocity of 
1200 ft.-sec. over a range of 100 ft. Find MV. Assuming 
1200 ft.-sec. to be the actual velocity at 50 ft. and using Table 
II for spherical shot, we have 

— = 10.125 (tabular number for) 1200 ft.-sec. 
w 

= 13554-86 
10.125 X 50 = 506.25 
Adding, 1 4061. 11 
Nearest tabular number = 14022. 11 =1310 ft.-sec. 

Difference 39.00 = 9.8 ft.-sec. 

Required MV= 13 19.8 ft.-sec. 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 213 

Problem 3 

Given the value of — , the muzzle velocity, and the re- 
w 

maining velocity at any range, to find the time of flight. 

Example I 

A .45-cal. bullet of 500 gr. has a muzzle velocity of 1310 
ft.-sec. and a remaining velocity at 200 yd. of 1257 ft.-sec. 
Find the time of flight over the 200 yd. range. 

We make use of the Tv table. The same relations hold good 

8" 
as for the Sv table, the formula being — /= TV — Tv, in which 

w 

t = time in seconds over the range, 
TV— tabular number corresponding to MV, 
Tv = tabular number corresponding to remaining velocity. 
In this case we wish to find /, and the formula becomes 

, TV- Tv 



J? 

w 




8" 
Now — = 2.8315 




First find Tv number for 1257 ft.-sec. 




The nearest velocity is 1250 ft.-sec. 


and its 


tabular number = 


154-5750 


Adding .7 of the difference .0938 = 


.0656 


Tv number for 1257 ft.-sec. = 


154.6406 


T'F number for 13 10 ft.-sec. = 


156.0970 


Tv number for 1257 ft.-sec. = 


154.6406 



Subtracting, = 1-4564 

Dividing this difference by -= 14^ = -51^7 sec-time of 

w 2.835 



214 Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 

flight. When making this last division, do not carry out the 
decimal places beyond the number used in the table, i.e. four ; 
otherwise there will be a slight sacrifice in accuracy. 

You will see at once that it is not necessary to know the 
remaining velocity. If the muzzle velocity is given, we can 
at once find the remaining velocities, and from them the time 
of flight. 

Example II 

The 32-40 cartridge has a muzzle velocity of 1470 ft.-sec. 
The bullet weighs 165 gr. Find the time of flight over a 
range of 200 yd. 

- = 4.344. 

Sv Tv 

1470 ft.-sec. =41945.77 156.6677 

4.344 X 600 = 2606.40 

39339-37 = remaining vel. 1045.9 = i54-532i 

2.1356 
and 2.1356 -r- 4.344 = .4916 sec, time of flight. 

Problem 4 
Given the range, the muzzle velocity, and the remaining 

velocity, to find the value of — . 

w 

The formula thus becomes — = ~\ 

w s 

Example 
In designing a rifle of .303 cal. it is required to have a 
muzzle velocity of 1900 ft.-sec, and a remaining velocity at 
500 yd. of 1059.5 ft.-sec. What weight of bullet will fulfil 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 215 

?? 

these conditions ? We find first the value of — , as follows : 

Tabular Sv number for 1900 ft.-sec. = 43753-43 
Tabular Sv number for 1039.5 ft.-sec. = 39269.93 

Subtracting, 4483.50 

and dividing the difference by the range in feet 

^^ ^'^ = 2.9S9 = value of — . 
1500 w 

• 8" 

Having found the value of — , we find the weight by dividing 

w 

it by the square of the diameter, or (.303 X .303). 

This division gives .030715 lb., which we reduce to grains 
by multiplying by 7000, and this in turn gives the weight of 
the bullet as 2 1 5 gr. 

Problem 5 

8" 
Given the muzzle velocity and the value of — , to find the 

■' w 

drop of the bullet at any range. We proceed much as we 
did in vacuo, using the formula H =■ \gt'^. This formula gives 
a trifle greater drop than it should, for the bullet in falling 
meets a slight resistance ; but the difference may be neglected, 
as it is very slight. 

Empirical formulas have been put forward for the drop in 
air, but they are complicated, and for ordinary ranges they 
are not required. 

Example 

The muzzle velocity of the 45-90-300 cartridge is 1540 ft.- 
sec. To find the drop in inches at 200 yd. 

— = 4.728. Finding the time of flight as before explained, 



2i6 Guns, Ammiuiition, and Tackle 



Sv 
1540 ft.-sec. = 42263.27 
4.728x600= 2836.80 



Tv 
156.8787 



Remaining vel. 



39426.47 = 1054,2 ft.-sec. = 154.6238 

2.2549 

2.2549 -r- 4.728 = .4769 sec, time of flight. 
.4769 X .4769 = .2274, square of time. 
.2274 X 193 in. = 43.88 in. drop at 200 yd. 

Problem 6 

To calculate the ordinates of a trajectory in air for small 
angles of elevation. « 



e ,-- 




^"^ a' a- a" 

Fig. 2. 

Suppose that in the above figure the height be is 4 ft. 
and that the points a', a'\ a'", divide the line ab into \, ^, f 
its length. Now, at one-half the distance ab, or at a", the 
angle height a"c" is one-half of 4 or 2 ft.; at a' the height 
a'c' is one-quarter of 4, or i ; and so on for any other propor- 
tional part of the distance a3. 

We may now suppose that the line ac is the axis of the 
bore produced of a rifle. The line ab is the horizontal plane 
or range. The points a', a", a'", are points along this plane 
at which we wish to find the heights of the ordinates to the 
trajectory. 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 217 

Suppose that the height be represents the total drop of the 
bullet from the line ac at any range. Knowing the range or 
length of line ab, and the drop or height of line be, we may 
construct a triangle as above, and from this drop or height be 
find the proportionate heights at an}^ other points along the 
line ab. Having established these heights at the desired 
points, we may find the drop of the bullet from the line ae at 
each of these points, and by subtracting this drop from the 
height (between the lines ac and ab), we shall have left the 
height of the bullet, at this point, above the line ab, or the 
ordinate to the trajectory above the horizontal plane ab. 

Suppose, for instance, that the bullet has dropped from the 
line ae, a distance of e'e. If we subtract this distance c'e from 
the whole height a'e\ we have the distance a'e, which is the 
height of the bullet above the horizontal plane at the point a'. 
Finding a series of these heights, we have the ordinates, or 
what we generally term the trajectory of the bullet. 

Let us now apply all this to an actual case ; first remark- 
ing, however, that (as will be seen in the chapter on Drift) 
steadiness of flight is merely relative ; some projectiles are 
steadier than others and therefore meet with less resist- 
ance from the air. The bullet from the modern rifle is more 
accurate and steady than those from which the coefficients of 
resistance were deduced for the tables. So that it is cus- 

tomary to reduce the value of — according to the factor of 

steadiness. If for the accurate modern bullet we multiply 

— by .9, we shall closely approximate to this correction.^ 

* For the new small-bore projectiles the value of — should be 
multiplied by 7. to .75. 



2i8 Guns, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

In order to compare a calculated trajectory with one taken 
through screens, we will take that of the 45-70-500 cartridge 
as given in the Forest and Stream trajectory test. 

Given, a bullet of .45 cal., weighing 500 gr., muzzle velocity 
13 10 ft.-sec. Find the height of bullet above the horizontal 
plane at 50, 100, and 150 yd. when shooting 200 yd. 

Reducmg— by multiplymg it by .9 gives 2.551 as its new 
w 

value. The atmospheric conditions on the day the screen 

trajectory was made still further reduce it, and our new 

8^ 
value for — = 2.^21. 

First find the total drop at 200 yd. 

Sv Tv 

13 10 ft.-sec. = 41154.54 156.0970 

2.321 X 600= I^Q2.6o „ . . 

** "^ Remaining vel. 

39761.94 = 1092.3 ft.-sec. = 154.9265 

I. 1705 
1. 1705 -H 2.321 = -5043 sec, time of flight. 
•5043 X -5043 = -2543. square of time. 
• -2543 X 193 in.= 49.07 in., drop at 200 yd. 

Now, dividing this drop proportionally at the required in- 
termediate ranges as before described, and finding the drop 
of the bullet in the same manner as has just been shown, 
we have : 

50 YD. 100 YD. 150 YD. 

Height of angle deducted from 

49.07 in. at 200 yd. 12.26 in. 24.53 ^"- 36.80 in. 

Drop of bullet 2.66 in. 11. 15 in. 26.30 in. 

Height of bullet above the hor- 
izontal plane 9.60 in. 13.38 in. 10.50 in. 



25 YD. 


50 YD. 


75 YD. 


2.32 in. 


2.89 in. 


2.45 m. 


2.14 in. 


2.91 in. 


2.25 in. 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 219 

50 YD. 100 YD, 150 YD. 

Heights found from screens were 9.40 in. 12.98 in. 9.95 in. 

Calculated 9.60 in. 13.38 in. 10.50 in. 

Difference +.20 in. +.40 in. +.55 in. 

The agreement between these two trajectories is very close. 
The trajectory of this cartridge at 100 yd. is 



Forest and Stream 
Calculated 

Difference +.18 in. —.02 in. +.20 in. 

The height of the bullet above the line of sight would be 
slightly less. The line of sight makes an angle with the 
horizontal line, which diminishes uniformly until the two 
lines intersect at the point aimed at. 

Suppose in the gun just cited that the front sight was i in. 
above the axis of the bore using the 200 yd. heights. 

50 YD. 100 YD. 150 YD. 

Height of bullet 9.60 in. 13.38 in. 10.50 in. 

Height of sight angle .75 in. .50 in. .25 in. 

Height of bullet above line of sight 8.85 in. 12.88 in. 10.25111. 



2 20 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 



TABLE I. — TIME AND VELOCITY 

For Elongated Projectiles. Heads of ij^ Diameters' 
Radius 

[Recalculated by Professor Greenhill from Mr. Bashforth's Data] 



Velocity 


Diff. 


Tv 


DlFF. 


Sv 


Ft.-sec. 










TOO 


15.6890 


0.0000 


1647-35 


0.00 


IIO 


13.0823 


15.6890 


1504.46 


1647-35 


120 


11.0703 


28.7713 


1383-78 


3151-81 


130 


9.4919 


39.8416 


1281.40 


4535-59 


140 


8.2272 


49-3335 


1192.94 


5816.99 


ISO 


7.2013 


57.5606 


III6.2I 


7009.03 


160 


6-3531 


64.7620 


1048.26 


8126.14 


170 


5.6474 


71.1150 


988.29 


9174.40 


180 


5.0440 


76.7624 


934-99 


10162.69 


190 


4.5485 


81.8164 


886.96 


11097.68 


200 


4.1161 


86.3649 


843.81 


11984.64 


210 


37419 


90.4810 


804.51 


12828.45 


220 


34173 


91.2230 


768.90 


13632.96 


230 


3-1323 


97.6403 


736.09 


14401.86 


240 


2.8813 


100.7726 


705.92 


15137-95 


250 


2.6603 


103-6539 


678.37 


15843.87 


260 


2.4627 


106.3142 


652.61 


16522.24 


270 


2.2875 


108.7768 


629.07 


17x74.85 


280 


2.1303 


1 1 1 .0644 


607.08 


17803.92 


290 


1.9884 


113.1945 


586.57 


I 8411.00 


300 


1.8589 


115. 1828 


566.97 


18997.57 


310 


1 .7426 


117.0418 


548.92 


19564.54 


320 


1.6356 


118.7844 


531-58 


20113.46 


330 


1-5375 


120.4200 


515.07 


20645.04 


340 


1.4470 


121.9575 


499.20 


21160.11 


350 


1.3638 


123.4045 


484.13 


21659.31 


360 


I. 2861 


124.7682 


469.42 


22143.44 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 221 



Velocity 


DiFF. 


Tv 


DiFF. 


Sv 


Ft. -sec. 










370 


1. 2148 


126.0543 


455-55 


22612.86 


380 


I. 1476 


127.2691 


441.81 


23068.41 


390 


1.0853 


128.4167 


428.71 


23510.22 


400 


1.0268 


129.5020 


415.87 


23938.03 


410 


0.9723 


130.5289 


403.50 


24354.80 


420 


0.9226 


131. 5012 


392.09 


24758.30 


430 


0.8772 


132.4237 


381.57 


25150.39 


440 


0.3550 


133.3009 


371.59 


25531.96 


450 


0.7964 


134.1359 


362.37 


25903-55 


460 


0.7610 


134.9323 


353.85 


26265.92 


470 


0.7278 


135-6933 


345-72 


26619.77 


480 


0.6973 


1 36.42 1 1 


338.21 


26965.49 


490 


0.6692 


I37.I185 


331.27 


27303.70 


500 


0.6433 


137.7877 


324.87 


27634.97 


510 


0.6183 


138.4310 


318.45 


27959.84 


520 


0.5952 


139.0403 


312.50 


28278.29 


530 


0.5733 


139.6446 


306.74 


28590.79 


540 


0.5526 


140.2179 


301.14 


28897.53 


550 


0.5332 


140.7705 


295.94 


29198.67 


560 


0.5148 


141.3037 


290.86 


29494.61 


570 


0.4977 


141. 8185 


286.15 


29785.47 


580 


0.4821 


142.3162 


282.05 


30071.62 


590 


0.4677 


142.7983 


278.32 


30353-67 


600 


0-4539 


143.2660 


274.58 


30631.99 


610 


0.4400 


143.7199 


270.62 


30906.57 


620 


0.4271 


144.1599 


266.95 


3II77.I9 


630 


0.4142 


144.5870 


262.99 


31444.14 


640 


0.4020 


145.0012 


259.30 


31707.13 


650 


0.3902 


145.4032 


255.58 


31966.43 


660 


0.3787 


145-7034 


251.81 


32222.01 


670 


0.3678 


146.1720 


248.28 


32473.82 


680 


0.3576 


146.5399 


244.96 


32722.10 


690 


0.3480 


146.8975 


241.86 


32967.06 



2 22 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 



Velocity 


DiFF. 


Tv 


DlFF. 


Sv 


Ft.-sec. 










700 


0-3385 


147.2455 


238.67 


33208.92 


710 


0.3292 


147.5840 


235-39 


33447-59 


720 


0.3196 


147.9132 


23-173 


33682.98 


730 


0.3105 


148.2328 


228.25 


33914-71 


740 


0.3019 


148.5434 


224.93 


34142.96 


750 


0.2938 


148.8453 


221.78 


34367.89 


760 


0.2823 


I49.I39I 


218.23 


34589.67 


770 


0.2765 


149.4243 


214.28 


34807.90 


780 


0.2681 


149.7008 


210.48 


35022.18 


790 


0.2602 


149.9689 


206.83 


35232.66 


800 


0.2526 


150.2291 


203.31 


35439-49 


810 


0.2450 


150.4817 


199.67 


35642.80 


820 


0.2371 


150.7266 


195.64 


35842.47 


830 


0.2290 


150.9638 


191.23 


36038.11 


840 


0.2210 


151. 1928 


186.73 


36229.34 


850 


0.2133 


I5I.4138 


182.39 


36416.07 


860 


0.2060 


151. 6271 


178.20 


36598.46 


870 


0.1990 


I5I-833I 


174.15 


36776.66 


880 


0.1924 


152.0322 


170.24 


36950.81 


890 


0.1860 


152.2245 


166.43 


37121.05 


900 


0.1799 


152.4105 


162.80 


37287.48 


910 


O.I74I 


152.5904 


159.26 


37450.28 


920 


0.1685 


152.7644 


155-83 


37609.54 


930 


O.I63I 


152.9329 


152.52 


37765-37 


940 


0.1580 


153.0960 


149-31 


37917-89 


950 


O.I53I 


153.2540 


146.20 


38067.20 


960 


0.1484 


153.4071 


143.18 


38213.40 


970 


0.1439 


153-5555 


140.26 


38350-58 


980 


0-1395 


153-6993 


137-43 


38496.84 


990 


0.1354 


153.8388 


134.68 


38634-27 


1000 


O.I3I4 


153-9742 


132.01 


38768.95 


lOIO 


0.1272 


154.1055 


129.08 


38900.96 


1020 


1227 


154.2327 


125.74 


39030.04 



The Theory of Rifles boot lug 223 



Velocity 


DiFF. 


Tv 


DiFF. 


Sv 


Ft. -sec. 










1030 


O.II5O 


154-3554 


119.07 


39155-78 


1040 


0.1046 


154.4704 


109.28 


39274.85 


1050 


0.0938 


154.5750 


98.95 


39384-13 


1060 


0.0857 


154.6688 


91.27 


39483.08 


1070 


0.0800 


154-7545 


86.02 


39574-35 


1080 


0.0755 


154-8345 


81.91 


39660.37 


1090 


0.0710 


154.9100 


78.75 


39742.28 


1 100 


0.0688 


154.9819 


75-97 


39821.03 


IIIO 


0.0663 


155.0507 


73-93 


39897.00 


1 1 20 


0.0641 


I55.II70 


72.16 


39970.93 


1 130 


0.0624 


I55.181I 


70.83 


40043.09 


1 140 


0.0608 


155-2435 


69.60 


40113.92 


1 1 50 


0.0592 


155-3043 


68.40 


40183.52 


1 160 


0.0577 


155-3635 


67.23 


40251.92 


1 1 70 


0.0562 


155.4212 


66.00 


40319.15 


1 180 


0.0548 


155-4775 


64.98 


40385.24 


1 190 


0-0535 


155-5323 


63-89 


40450.22 


1200 


0.0522 


155.5858 


62.84 


40514. II 


I2IO 


0.0500 


155-6379 


61.81 


40576.95 


1220 


0.0496 


155.6888 


60.80 


40638.76 


1230 


0.0485 


155-7384 


59.88 


40699.56 


1240 


0.0473 


155.7869 


58.92 


40759-44 


1250 


0.0462 


155.8342 


58.04 


40818.36 


1260 


0.0452 


155.8805 


57-17 


40896.40 


1270 


0.0442 


155.9257 


56.38 


40933-57 


1280 


0.0433 


155.9699 


55.61 


40989.95 


1290 


0.0424 


156.0132 


54.86 


41045.56 


1300 


0.0415 


156.0555 


54.12 


41100.42 


I310 


0.0406 


156.0970 


53.45 


41154.54 


1320 


0.0398 


156.1377 


52.79 


41207.99 


1330 


0.0391 


156.1775 


52.15 


41260.78 


1340 


0.0383 


156.2165 


51.52 


41312.93 


1350 


0.0376 


156.2548 


50-95 


41364.45 



2 24 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 



Velocity 


DiFF. 


Tv 


DlFF. 


Sv 


Ft.-sec. 










1360 


0.0369 


156.2924 


50-39 


41415.40 


1370 


0.0363 


156.3294 


49-90 


41465.79 


1380 


0.0357 


156-3656 


49.41 


41515.69 


1390 


0.0351 


156.4013 


48.94 


41565.10 


1400 


0.0345 


156.4364 


48.52 


41614.04 


I410 


0.0340 


156.4709 


48.12 


41662.56 


1420 


0-0335 


156.5049 


47-72 


41710.68 


1430 


0.0330 


156.5384 


47-53 


41758.40 


1440 


0.0325 


156.5714 


47.00 


41805.73 


1450 


0.0321 


156.6039 


46.68 


41852.73 


1460 


0.0317 


156.6360 


46.36 


41899.41 


1470 


0.0313 


I $6.6677 


46.10 


41945-77 


1480 


0.0309 


156.6989 


45.80 


41991.87 


1490 


0.0305 


156.7298 


45.52 


42037.67 


1500 


0.0301 


156.7602 


45-28 


42083.19 


I510 


0.0298 


156.7903 


45.10 


42128.47 


1520 


0.0295 


156.8201 


44-93 


42173.57 


1530 


0.0292 


156.8496 


44-77 


42218.50 


1540 


0.0289 


156.8787 


44-57 


42263.27 


1550 


0.0285 


156.9076 


44-37 


42307.84 


1560 


0.0282 


156.9361 


44.19 


42352.21 


1570 


0.0279 


156.9643 


44.01 


42396.40 


1580 


0.0277 


156.9923 


43-84 


42440.41 


1590 


0.0274 


157.0199 


43-68 


42484.25 


1600 


0.0271 


157-0473 


43-47 


42527-93 


1610 


0.0268 


157.0744 


43-27 


42571.40 


1620 


0.0265 


I57.IOI2 


43.08 


42614.67 


1630 


0.0262 


157.1277 


42.90 


42657.75 


1640 


0.0260 


157-1539 


42.72 


42700.65 


1650 


0.0257 


157.1799 


42.55 


42743-37 


1660 


0.0255 


157.2056 


42-39 


42785.92 


1670 


0.0252 


I57.231I 


42.18 


42828.31 


1680 


0.0249 


157.2563 


41.98 


42870.49 



The Theory of Rifle-shoot ing 



^25 



Velocity 


DiFF. 


Tv 


DlFF. 


Sv 


Fl.-sec. 










1690 


0.0247 


157.2812 


41.78 


42912.47 


1700 


0.0244 


157-3302 


41.60 


42954-25 


I7IO 


0.0242 


157-3302 


41.41 


42995.85 


1720 


0.0239 


157-3544 


41.23 


43037.20 


1730 


0.0237 


157-3783 


41.06 


43078.49 


1740 


0.0234 


157.4019 


40.90 


43119-55 


1750 


0.0232 


157.4254 


40.69 


43160.45 


1760 


0.0230 


157.4486 


40-53 


43201.14 


1770 


0.0227 


157-4715 


40.33 


43241.67 


1780 


0.0225 


157.4942 


40.19 


43282.00 


1790 


0.0223 


157.5168 


40.00 


43322.19 


1800 


0.0221 


157-5390 


39.81 


43362.19 


181O 


0.0219 


157-56" 


39-68 


43402.00 


1820 


0.0217 


157.5830 


39-51 


43441.68 


1830 


0.0214 


157.6046 


39-34 


43481.19 


1840 


0.0212 


157.6260 


39-17 


43520.53 


1850 


0.0210 


157-6473 


39,01 


43550.70 


i860 


0.0209 


157.6683 


38.90 


43598-71 


1870 


0.0207 


157.6892 


38-75 


43637-61 


1880 


0.0205 


157.7098 


38-61 


43676.36 


1890 


0.0203 


157-7303 


38.46 


43714-97 


1900 


0.0201 


157.7506 


38.32 


43753-43 


I9IO 


0.0199 


157.7707 


38.19 


43791-75 


1920 


0.0197 


157.7907 


38.01 


43829.94 


1930 


0.0196 


157.8104 


38.83 


43867.65 


1940 


0.0194 


157-8493 


37-48 


43943-44 


1950 


0.0192 


157-8493 


37-48 


43943-44 


i960 


0.0190 


157.8685 


37.26 


43980.92 


1970 


0.0187 


157.8875 


36-99 


44018.18 


1980 


0.0185 


157.9062 


36.73 


44055.17 


1990 


0.0183 


157.9247 


36.47 


44091 .00 


2000 


O.O181 


157-9430 


36.21 


44128.37 


2010 


0.0178 


157.9610 


35-95 


44164.58 



2 26 Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 



Velocity 


DiFF. 


Tv 


DiFF. 


Sv 


Ft.-sec. 










2020 


0.0176 


157.9789 


35-65 


44200.53 


2030 


0.0174 


157 


9965 


35-35 


44236.18 


2040 


O.OI7I 


158 


0138 


35.06 


44271-53 


2050 


0.0169 


158 


0310 


34-77 


44306.50 


2060 


0.0167 


158 


0479 


34-49 


44341-36 


2070 


0.0165 


158 


0646 


34.21 


44375-85 


2080 


0.0163 


158 


081 1 


33-93 


44410.06 


2090 


0.0160 


158 


0974 


3360 


44443.90 


2100 


0.0158 


158 


1 134 


33-34 


44477.50 


2IIO 


0.0156 


158 


1292 


33-02 


44510.93 


2120 


0.0154 


158 


1448 


32.76 


44543-95 


2130 


0.0152 


158 


1603 


32.50 


44576.71 


2140 


0.0150 


158 


1755 


32.25 


44609.21 


2150 


0.0149 


158 


1905 


32.00 


44641.46 


2160 


0.0147 


158 


2054 


31-75 


44673.46 


2170 


0.0145 


158 


2200 


31.46 


44705.21 


2180 


0.0143 


158 


2345 


31.22 


44736.67 


2190 


O.OI4I 


158 


2488 


30.98 


44767.89 


2200 


0.0139 


158 


2629 


30-74 


44798.87 


2210 


0.0138 


158 


2768 


30-51 


44829.61 


2220 


0.0136 


158 


2906 


30.23 


44860.12 


2230 


0.0134 


158 


3042 


30.01 


44890.35 


2240 


0.0133 


158 


3176 


29-79 


44920.36 


2250 


O.OI3I 


158 


3309 


29-53 


44950.15 


2260 


0.0130 


158 


3440 


29.31 


44979.68 


2270 


0.0128 


158 


3569 


29.14 


45008.99 


2280 


0.0127 


158 


3697 


28.98 


45038.13 


2290 


0.0120 


158 


3824 


28.00 


45067.11 


2300 


0.0125 


158 


3950 


28.82 


45096.01 


2310 


0.0125 


158 


4075 


28.84 


45124.83 


2320 


0.0124 


158 


4200 


28.85 


45153.67 


2330 


0.0124 


158 


4324 


28.88 


45182.52 


2340 


0.0123 


158 


4447 


28.91 


45211.40 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 



227 



Velocity 


DiFF. 


Tv 


DiFF. 


Sv 


Ft.-sec. 










2350 


0.0123 


158.4571 


28.94 


45240.31 


2360 


0.0123 


158.4694 


28.98 


45269.25 


2370 


0.0122 


158.4816 


29.02 


45298.23 


2380 


0.0122 


158.4938 


29.06 


45327-25 


2390 


0.0122 


158.5060 


29.10 


45356-31 


2400 


0.0I2I 


158.5182 


29.16 


45385.11 


2410 


0.0I2I 


158.5303 


29.21 


45414-57 


2420 


0.0I2I 


158.5424 


29.27 


45443-78 


2430 


O.OI2I 


158.5545 


29-33 


45473-05 


2440 


0.0120 


158.5665 


29-35 


45502.38 


2450 


0.0120 


158.5785 


29-37 


45531-73 


2460 


O.OII9 


158.5905 


29-39 


45561.10 


2470 


O.OII9 


158.6024 


29.41 


45590-49 


2480 


O.OII9 


158.6143 


29.44 


45619.90 


2490 


O.OII8 


158.6261 


29.42 


45649-34 


2500 


O.OII7 


158.6379 


29.40 


45678.76 


2510 


O.OII7 


158.6406 


29-39 


45708.16 


2520 


O.OI16 


158.6613 


29.32 


45737-55 


2530 


O.OII5 


158.6729 


29.25 


45766.87 


2540 


O.OII5 


158.6845 


29.13 


45796.12 


2550 


O.OII4 


158.6959 


29.01 


45825.25 


2560 


O.OII2 


158.7073 


28.84 


45854.26 


2570 


O.OIII 


158.7185 


28.67 


45883.10 


2580 


O.OIIO 


158.7207 


28.50 


45911.77 


2590 


0.0109 


158.7407 


28.29 


45940.27 


2600 


0.0108 


158.7516 


28.12 


45968.58 


2610 


0.0107 


158.7624 


27.91 


45996.68 


2620 


0.0106 


158-7731 


27.70 


46024.50 


2630 


0.0105 


158.7837 


27.54 


46052.29 


2640 


0.0103 


158.7942 


27-33 


46079.83 


2650 


0.0102 


158.8045 


27.18 


46107.16 


2660 


O.OIOI 


158.8147 


26.97 


46134-34 


2670 


O.OIOO 


158.8248 


26.77 


46161.31 



2 28 Gims, Ammunition, and Tackle 



Velocity 


DiFF. 


Tv 


DiFF. 


Sv 


Ft.-sec. 










2680 


0.0099 


158.8348 


26.62 


46188.08 


2690 


0.0098 


158.8447 


26.43 


46214.70 


2700 


0.0097 


158.8545 


26.23 


46241.13 


2710 


0.0096 


158.8642 


26.09 


46267.36 


2720 


0.0095 


158.8738 


25.90 


46293.45 


2730 


0.0094 


158.8833 


25.71 


46319-35 


2740 


0.0093 


158.8927 


25.52 


46345.66 


2750 


0.0092 


158.9020 


25.34 


46370.58 


2760 


0.0091 


I58.9II2 


25.15 


46395.02 


2770 


0.0090 


158.9203 


24.97 


46421.67 


2780 


0.0089 


158.9293 


24.79 


46446.04 


2790 


0.0088 


158.9382 


24.62 


46470.83 


2800 


0.0087 


158.9470 


24.32 


46495.45 



TABLE II 
For Spherical Projectiles 



Velocity 


DlFF. 


Tv 


DiFF. 


Sv 


Ft.-sec. 










300 


1.2232 


0.0000 


366.91 


0.00 


310 


I. 1505 


1.2232 


356.67 


366.91 


320 


1.0824 


^■37?,7 


346.37 


723.58 


330 


1. 02 I 7 


3.4561 


337.22 


1069.95 


340 


0.9647 


4.4778 


328.01 


1407.17 


350 


0.9137 


5.4425 


319.78 


1735.18 


360 


0.8553 


6.3562 


311.51 


2054.96 


370 


0.8218 


7.2215 


304.07 


2366.47 


380 


0.7805 


8.0433 


296.60 


2670.54 


390 


0.7432 


8.8238 


289.84 


2967.14 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 229 

Energy 

Since any moving object requires force to stop 
it, it is capable of doing a certain amount of work. 
This mechanical work is called " energy," and for 
light projectiles is expressed in foot-pounds ; the 
unit being the force required to lift a one-pound 
weight one foot from the ground. 

Energy varies as the weight. If two bullets 
travel at the same velocity, but one weighs twice 
as much as the other, the heavier will have twice 
the energy of the other. 

If the velocity of one be doubled, however, the 
energy will be much more than doubled ; for as a 
factor in the formula, the energy varies as V"^. 

The formula for finding the energy of a bullet is 

£ = ; m which 

E = the energy in foot-pounds, 
IV = weight of shot in pounds, 
V = velocity of shot in foot-seconds, 
G = acceleration of gravity, 32.16. 

If a one-pound shot be projected directly up- 
ward with a muzzle velocity of 1000 ft.-sec, it 
will have a muzzle energy of 

I X 1000 X 1000 f^ „ 

■ 2 = 15-547 ft.-lb. 

2x32.16 ^ ^^' 



230 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

If shot in a vacuum, this shot would rise to a 
height of 15,547 feet. If it was fired in air, the 
same amount of force would be required to bring 
it to a state of rest, but it would not rise to any- 
thing like this height, owing to the resistance of 
the air, which causes such a diminution in the 
velocity, and consequently energy. 

Example I 

Given, a .50-cal. bullet of 342 gr., having a muzzle velocity 
of 1946 ft.-sec. Find the muzzle energy and the energy at 200 
yd. from the gun. 

(The 7000 is introduced to reduce grains to pounds.) 
Then finding the velocity at 200 yd. to be (taking the 
nearest whole number) 1257 ft.-sec, 

T7 . J 342 X 1257 X 1257 . ,, 

Energy at 200 yd. = ^-^ — ^= i20Qft.-lb. 

*'•' ■' 7000 X 2 X 32.16 ^ 

We see that half the total energy is already lost, in the 
short range of 200 yd., because the energy varies as V^, and 
how important it is that a hunting and military bullet should 
have a low ballistic coefficient in order that its energy should 
be sustained. 

Working backward from the last example, it is required 
that a 342-gr. bullet of .50 cal. have a muzzle energy of 2876 
ft.-lbs. What is the required muzzle velocity to fulfil this 
condition ? 

We have first to find V^. 

T^2_ 2876 X 7000 X2 X 32.16 ,^n^,,o. 

1/ — — = 3,786,228; 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 231 

and extracting the square root of this number, we get 1945 + 
ft.-sec. as the muzzle velocity required. 

The velocity necessary to produce a given energy can be 
found at any range, in the same manner. 

Example II 

Given, a muzzle velocity of 1946 ft.-sec, and a muzzle 
energy of 2876 ft.-Ibs. ; required, the weight of bullet to fulfil 
these conditions. Here 

„. 2876 X 7000 X 2 X 32.16 

W = ■ — '- '—z -r^ = 341.9 gr. 

1946 X 1946 ot y s 

Penetration 

At first sight it would seem that penetration 
was synonymous with velocity, and that the higher 
the velocity, the deeper the penetration. This, 
however, is not necessarily the case. 

The greatest effect, in the sense of energy, or 
stored-up work, is of course near the gun muzzle 
or when the velocity is highest ; but it sometimes 
happens that high velocity militates against the 
penetration of soft lead bullets and those that are 
easily deformed. The tendency of soft lead and 
hollow-pointed bullets is to deform or mushroom 
almost immediately upon impact. The higher 
the velocity, the greater is this deformation, which 
increases the diameter of, and consequently the 



232 Guns, Ammiinitiofi, and Tackle 

resistance to, the bullet, so that its penetration is 
greatly lessened. When this was first noted — 
years ago — it gave rise to the absurd notion 
that a bullet must gain in speed after leaving the 
gun-barrel, otherwise how account for the fact 
that sometimes the penetration was greater at a 
distance from the gun than at the muzzle? It 
was, however, shown that light, hollow-pointed 
express bullets often deformed so much at high 
velocities that they did not penetrate so far as 
when the velocity was lower. If the projectiles 
are hardened with tin, so that they fairly retain 
their shape, velocity will increase their penetration. 
Some further remarks on this matter will be 
found in " The Hunting Rifle." 

Drift 

" Drift " is the term applied to any deviation from 
the original direction of a projectile, except that 
caused by the force of gravity. 

Drift is caused by the unequal pressure of the 
air upon the surface of a more or less imperfect 
projectile, and from it arise all the inaccuracies 
and irregularities of flight of a projectile. 

I shall treat this subject somewhat at length, as 
many fanciful notions about it still exist. 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 233 

We will first take up the case of the spherical 
bullet, showing why an accidental motion of rota- 
tion is acquired in a smooth-bore barrel, and 
why a rotating bullet must drift in the direction 
in which its front or anterior hemisphere is ro- 
tating. 

The centre of form of a spherical projectile is 
the exact centre of the sphere. 

The centre of weight or gravity coincides with 
the centre of form, only, when the projectile is 
perfectly homogeneous and true in form ; and this 
is never the case in practice, the centre of gravity 
always lying more or less apart from the centre of 
form. 

We know that a number of equal parallel forces 
is equivalent to a single force, representing the 
aggregate of the several forces, and called the re- 
sultant. The resultant acts through the centre 
of gravity of the body. 

By the term " motion of translation " is meant 
the forward motion given the bullet by the pow- 
der gases. 

If we suppose the case of a perfect spherical 
projectile, in which the centres of gravity and 
form coincide, shot from a perfectly true cylin- 
drical barrel, the axis of the bore passing through 




2 34 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

the centres of form and gravity of the ball, and, 
finally, the bullet meeting with equal resistance on 
all its parts which are in contact with the barrel 
when passing down it, there would be no motion 
of rotation acquired. 

The powder gases are represented as a num- 
ber of equal parallel forces acting on the pos-- 
terior hemisphere ; the sum of 
these separate forces is equiva- 
lent to the resultant acting 
along the line gP, through the 
^°" ^' centres of form and gravity 

and along the axis of the bore. There is, under 
these assumptions, no reason why the bullet 
should acquire a motion of rotation. But sup- 
pose that we consider it as in actual practice. 
Let us suppose that the centre of gravity is situ- 
ated below the centre of form, both being in the 
same vertical plane as the axis of the bore. 

Here we no longer have 
a single force acting along 
the axis of the bore and ' 
through the centres of 
form and gravity of the Fig, 4. 

ball. The resultant acts along the axis of the 
bore and the line cP through the centre of form, 




The Theory of Rifle-shooting 235 

but in producing a motion of translation to the 
projectile it is equivalent to the same force P act- 
ing through the centre of gravity and along the 
line gjF. A couple is thus formed whose force 
is P and length of arm gc. The effect of this 
couple is to produce a motion of rotation of the 
projectile about a horizontal axis passing through 
g, the powder gases acting on a larger surface 
above the centre of gravity than below it, and 
the lighter side rotating toward the heavier side. 
In this case the projectile rotates from above 
downward. 

Should the centre of gravity be situated, above, 
to the right, or to the left of the centre of form, 
the motion of rotation will be upward, to the 
right, or to the left, as the case may be. 

These acquired motions of rotation are acci- 
dental, inasmuch as one does not know the rela- 



r) o- — n 



Fig. s. 

tive positions of the centres of form and gravity 
when the ball is in the gun. 

Should the bullet not fit the barrel perfectly, 
there will be " gas cutting " and unequal friction, 



236 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

from contact with only one side of the barrel. 
It is little wonder that round bullets from 
smooth-bore barrels give wild shooting except at 
very short ranges. The accuracy may be some- 
what improved if the bullet fits very tiglit. 

Now, in practice and theory, it is found that 
the ball will always deviate in the direction in 
which the anterior hemisphere is rotating. The 
reason for this is as follows: — 

Now suppose that Figure 6, the ball, has a mo- 
tion of translation in the direction of the arrow 

AB, and a motion of ro- 
tation in the direction of 
the curved arrow CBD, 
It is evident that the 
resistance of the air is 
not equal on all parts of 
the ball, and that the ball will move in the direc- 
tion of least resistance. The hemisphere ACB 
has more resistance than the hemisphere BDA^ 
because the. velocity with which the hemisphere 
ACB moves through the air is the velocity of 
translation of the sphere plus the velocity of ro- 
tation of the hemisphere ACB, which is rotating 
in the direction of the motion of translation of 
the sphere; while the motion with which the 




Fig. 6. 



The Theory of Rifle- shooting 237 

hemisphere BDA moves through the air is the 
velocity of translation of the sphere minus the 
velocity of rotation of the hemisphere BDA, 
which is rotating in the opposite direction to the 
motion of translation of the sphere. 

That is, the resistance of the air to the side C is 
greater than to the side D, and the projectile 
moves off toward the side of least resistance 
along the line gF. The drift is a curve ; for while 
the velocity of translation becomes rapidly less 
from the air resistance, the velocity of rotation 
dies away very slowly. 

If the anterior hemisphere rotates from right to 
left, the drift is to the left, and vice versa. 

If the anterior hemisphere rotates from above, 
downward, the drift is downward, and vice versa. 

In this latter case the range is diminished or 
increased, as the case may be. 

Now, in order to do away with these accidental 
drifts for which no allowance can be made, spiral 
grooves are cut in a rifled barrel so that the bul- 
let will always rotate in the same direction, and 
on an axis parallel to the axis of the barrel and 
tangential to the trajectory. 

The effect of rotation given the bullet by the 
grooves is, that the equalities are made to revolve, 



238 Guns, Ammiinitmi, and Tackle 

as it were, about a common axis. There will still 
be a lateral drift, always in the direction in which 
the top of the sphere is rotating (for the same 
reason as was explained before) ; but as this drift 
is now reduced to a practically constant quantity, 
allowance can be made for it by adjustments of 
the sights. 

The Drift of Elongated Projectiles 

The foregoing explanation will not account for 
the drift of elongated projectiles, which is alto- 
gether a different and more complicated matter. 
It is often stated that an elongated projectile 
drifts laterally, because in falling through the air 
the resistance is greater on the under than on the 
upper surface. This slight difference in pressure 
could account for but little drift during the short 
time that the bullet is in flight; and while it 
takes account of lateral drift, we know from the- 
or)^ and experiment that an elongated projectile 
drifts in every direction, as viewed from the gun. 
This "spiral" drift is illustrated by the gyro- 
scope, and a few years ago Mr. E. A. Leopold 
measured a number of these spirals with great 
accuracy by shooting through screens. 

We will first consider an elongated projectile, 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 239 

with a more or less pointed head, and having its 
centre of gravity situated behind the centre of 
form, as is general with projectiles in use to-day. 
Let us suppose (Fig. 7) that the projectile is shot 
from a smooth-bore gun, and that it has no mo- 
tion of rotation ; also that it is fired at some 
angle of elevation with the horizontal plane AB. 
We may suppose that the centre of gravity, G, 
is a pivot; and since the resistance of the air is 




Fig. 7. 

strongest on the under side of the head, as indi- 
cated by the arrows, the head will be elevated 
more and more; and since the centre of gravity 
is behind the centre of figure, the lighter forepart 
of the projectile will be forced completely over 
until the projectile travels with its heaviest end 
or base foremost. 



240 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

If now we consider this same bullet fired from 
a rifled barrel, so that it will have a rapid motion 
of rotation about its longer axis, we shall see that 
it is acted upon by two conflicting forces : the 
motion of rotation about its longer axis, given it 
by the grooves, which tends to keep the projectile 
in its original direction ; and the resistance of the 
air, which tends to turn the projectile over, about 
a shorter axis passing through the centre of grav- 
ity, because the longer axis does not remain tan- 
gent to the trajectory, it being constantly deflected 
from it by gravity, so that the resultant of the air's 
resistance does not pass through the centre of 
inertia of the projectile, but above or below it, as 
the case may be, — in this instance above it, since 
the centre of gravity is behind the centre of form. 
It is known that a body acted upon in this man- 
ner will not yield fully to either force. The re- 
sistance of the air will first elevate the point, and 
this upward drift is the beginning of all drift; 
then the point will move slowly off to the right 
or left, in the direction in which the bullet is ro- 
tating. In further explanation of this drift I shall 
use Mr. Bashforth's figures for illustration. 

Suppose we view the flight of the projectile 
from behind the gun, and that the projectile is 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 241 





rotating to the right; now the resistance of the air 
will at first elevate the apex (position 2), and from 
what has preceded the point will move to the right 
(position 3), and will continue 
to move to the right until it 
reaches position 4, at which 
point the drift is entirely 
horizontal and to the right. 
It is evident that up to this 
point the projectile has 
drifted both upward and to 
the right; for as soon as the 
axis of the shot begins to ^^JJt^ 
move to the right, the left 
side of the projectile receives 
the greatest resistance, and 
the projectile is forced to the 
right. Now, in Figure 9, ^::^ 
the axis of the shot ad does 
not remain parallel to AH, 
but is constantly dipping 
away from it. At low angles of elevation the axis 
ad dips more rapidly than the tangent to the tra- 
jectory ot, and the projectile will assume the several 
positions, 5, 6, 7, etc., of Figure 8, and go on rotating 
throughout its flight. That it may make several 






5-<r 



Fig. 8. 



242 Guns, Ammiuiitwn, and Tackle 

complete revolutions and have a drift in all direc- 
tions, even over a comparatively short range, has 
been proven. There seems, at first sight, to be 
no reason why there is a greater drift to the right 
than to the left, except for the fact that the resist- 
ance, and hence the deflection, is greatest at first, 




Fig. 9. 

when the point of the projectile is moving to the 
right, and that the resistance is greater on the un- 
der side of the projectile ; but Mr. Bashforth points 
out that when the point of the shot is to the right 
of the plane passing through the tangent, the tan- 
gent to the trajectory and the axis of the projectile 
are both dipping downward ; but when the point 
of the shot is to the left of the vertical plane pass- 
ing through the tangent, the tangent is dipping 
downward as it constantly does, but the axis of 
the shot is rising upward. Therefore the drift is 
in operation a longer time to the right than to the 
left. The upward or vertical drift exceeds the 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 243 

downward drift, and the drift to the right greatly 
exceeds that to the left ; so that the resultant drift 
observed in practice seems to be wholly to the 
right. With a left-handed rotation all this is 
reversed. 

Any factors which cause an increase in vertical 
drift lead to inaccuracy of fire ; for instance, in 
the light, hollow-pointed express bullet the centre 
of gravity is situated very far back ; and as this 
bullet is fired at high velocity, its drift becomes 
excessive, and often erratic, so that in firing 
through screens at 200 yd. the spiral is so wide 
that the loo-yd. height may seem lower than the 
150-yd. height, having happened to pass through 
the screens at that particular part of its spiral 
flight. We have seen a bullet show a spiral as 
wide as 10 in., but this is very exceptional; and 
in an accurate " steady " bullet the width of spiral 
may be only a fraction of an inch, or may be con- 
tained within the diameter of the bullet. Drift 
may be very much exaggerated and the flight of 
the bullet made erratic, if the bullet be mutilated, 
or if it is not properly centred in the bore so that 
its axis coincides with the axis of the bore. 

In the case of an elongated projectile having its 
centre of gravity in front of the centre of form, it 



244 Guns, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

will generally travel point foremost; and if the 
angle of elevation and velocity of translation are 
low, the projectile may be accurate enough for 
sporting purposes. It is found that a 12-bore 
bullet of this kind, having its centre of gravity 
very far forward, and fitted with mechanical 
grooves in the cartridge case which gives to it a 
very low motion of rotation, is fairly accurate up 
to, say, 80 yd. or so ; but if the velocity of trans- 
lation and the angle of fire be high, the projectile 
is not steady or accurate unless given a very high 
velocity of rotation about its longer axis. 

The resultant of the resistance of the air will 
act behind the centre, and the base will be forced 
up and the apex depressed. The base will be 
forced above the horizontal and then forced down 
again, the result being a very "wabbly" motion 
of the base during its flight. 

The only projectile which does not drift in the 
direction of the rotation is the flat-headed cylin- 
drical shot. 

In Figure 10 the lines represent the resistance of 
the air, whose resultant acts along the line BA. 
The effect of the resultant acting between a and 5 
is to depress the head of the shot and give it a mo- 
tion of rotation about a shorter axis; the projectile 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 245 

assuming the position indicated by the dotted Hne, 
— now with amotion of rotation to the height about 
its longer axis, — the face will be depressed by the 
resistance of the air, the rotary motion will resist 
this, and the head will move off slowly downward 
and to the left, leaving the face and right side 
exposed obliquely to the air's resistance, so that the 
projectile will be pushed bodily to the left, and the 



Fig. 10. 

resultant of the drift will be to the left. If the 
velocity and angle of elevation are high, this left- 
hand drift is much more noticeable. The wind 
also has a great effect upon the drift of a bullet. 
A head wind reduces the speed, a rear wind in- 
creases it, and a side wind drifts a bullet in the 
direction in which it blows. Other things being 
equal, the larger the surface the wind acts on, the 
greater the deviation : light bullets are affected 
much more than heavy ones, and hollow-pointed 
bullets more than solid ones ; short, light, hollow- 
pointed bullets are especially affected. It seems 



246 Gtms, Amfmmition, and Tackle 

that they actually " run down wind," as it were; but 
when one considers how easily a bullet — having 
the centre of gravity far to the rear — is turned from 
its course, we see how the light, hollow-pointed 
bullet is affected. 

From what has gone before, it is evident that an 
elongated bullet requires the rotary motion which 
is imparted to it by the grooves to steady its flight. 
Long bullets will require more rotary motion, or a 
quicker twist to the rifle grooves, than short ones, 
for the resistance of the air has more surface upon 
which to act and overturn them. If the twist be 
insufHcient, the bullet may wabble badly, or even 
turn over or keyhole ; or again, if the range be 
long, the bullet may fly steadily for a distance and 
then gradually become more and more unsteady 
and inaccurate. So long as the bullet can take 
the grooves and is not forced out across the lands, 
— which is called "stripping," — a quick twist is 
found to be desirable. If two bullets be of the 
same length but different calibers, the larger will 
require less rotary motion to keep it steady, be- 
cause its radius of gyration is larger. A light 
bullet made of iron requires a more rapid twist 
than does one of lead ; for the former, being lighter, 
loses its rotary motion more rapidly. And a bullet 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 



247 



having a hollow through it requires less twist than a 
solid bullet of the same dimensions, for the effect of 
the hollow is to distribute the mass farther from the 
centre, thereby lengthening the radius of gyration. 
High muzzle velocities require quick twists, as 
the high velocity increases the resistance of the 
air. 

The twist necessary for any particular bullet is 
generally found by trial, but Professor Greenhill has 
deduced a formula which gives very good results. 
In tabular form it is used as follows, for bullets 
made of 16 parts lead to i of tin : — 



Length of 

Projectile in 

Calibers. 


One Turn of 

the Rifling in 

Calibers. 


Length of 

Projectile in 

Calibers. 


One Turn of 

the Rifling in 

Calibers. 


Length of 

Projectile in 

Calibers. 


One Turn of 

the Rifling in 

Calibers. 


2.0 


84.29 


3-5 


42.40 


5.0 


28.44 


2.1 


78.98 


3-6 


41.05 




I 


27-83 


2.2 


74-32 


3-7 


39-79 




2 


27.24 


2.3 


70.20 


3-8 


38.61 




3 


26.68 


2.4 


66.53 


3-9 


37-48 




4 


26.14 


2.5 


63.24 


4.0 


36-43 




5 


25.63 


2.6 


60.26 


4.1 


35-43 




6 


25-13 


2.7 


57-55 


4.2 


34-49 




7 


24.66 


2.8 


55.09 


4-3 


33-59 




8 


24.20 


2.9 


52.72 


4-4 


32-74 




9 


23-75 


30 


50.74 


4-5 


31-94 


6 





23-33 


3-1 


48.82 


4.6 


31.21 


7 





19.78 


3-2 


47.04 


4-7 


30-44 


8 





17.18 


3-3 


45-38 


4.8 


29-74 


9 





15.18 


3-4 


43-84 


4-9 


29.07 


10 





13.60 



248 Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 

We have always been in the habit of speaking 
of the length of a bullet and the turn of the twist 
in inches, but it is more correct to reckon them 
in calibers. 

To reduce the length of a bullet from inches to 
calibers, simply divide its length by its caliber in 
inches. Thus a .50-cal. bullet i J in. long is 3 cal. 
in length. A.25-cal. bullet i in. long is 4 cal., etc. 

As an example in the use of the table : Sup- 
pose it is required to find the minimum twist 
necessary for a .45-ca]. bullet 1.35 in. long. Di- 
viding 1.35 by .45, we find that the projectile is 
3 cal. long, and opposite the number 3, in the 
table, we find 50.74, or the bullet requires a turn 
in 50.74 cal. To reduce this to inches, multiply 
the twist in calibers by the diameter of the bullet 
in inches (50.74 x .45), which gives about 22 in. 

When Mr. Harwood (" Iron Ramrod ") designed 
the .22 Hornet cartridge, he found that the usual 
twist of one turn in 14 in. was too slow for the 
.63-gr. bullet, but that in a twist of one turn in 
12 in. it shot steadily. The .63-gr. bullet was 
.66 in. and measured .23 in. in diameter, or almost 
2.9+ cal. long. Opposite 2.9 in the table we find 
52.72 ; that is, 52.72 x .23 = 12. i in. 

Now, the velocity with which the bullet will 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 249 

rotate on leaving the barrel is not dependent 
upon any form of grooving ; it is immaterial 
whether the twist be uniform, or whether it in- 
creases in pitch from breech to muzzle. The 
number of revolutions made by the bullet per 
second depends upon the muzzle velocity and the 
twist at the muzzle of the gun. 

To find the number of revolutions per second, 
divide the muzzle velocity by the product of the 
bullet's diameter by the turn of the twist, or 

number of revolutions per sec. = -ttt^. in which 

V = muzzle velocity in foot-seconds. 

N = turn of the twist in calibers. 

D = the diameter of the projectile in inches. 

Since the muzzle velocity and the diameter of 
the projectile must be expressed in the same unit, 
either feet or inches, it is easier to multiply the 
velocity by 12 and reduce it to inches than to 
reduce the diameter of the bullet to feet. 

Example 

Given, a .25-cal. rifle having one turn in 15 in. Find the 
number of revolutions per second of a bullet that has muzzle 
velocity of 1500 ft.-sec. 

First reduce the twist in inches to calibers by dividing 15 



250 Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 

by .25, which gives 60 cal. ; then substituting values in the 
formula, we get 

number of revolutions per sec. = -^^ — = 1200. 

25 X 60 

A simpler way is to divide the muzzle velocity in inches by 
the twist in inches, as follows : — 

1500 X 12 , . , 

-^ = 1200 revolutions per second. 

1500 

After years of trial there appears to be no espe- 
cial advantage in any one of the different forms 
of grooving. All shoot well if accurately bored. 
The grooves are usually from two to five thou- 
sandths of an inch deep. For patched bullets the 
grooves are shallower than for naked bullets. 

Recoil in Guns 
Upon the ignition and " explosion " of the pow- 
der charge, a large quantity of highly elastic gases 
are liberated. These exert their pressure in every 
direction. The pressures on the base of the bul- 
let, the walls, and base of the chamber or cartridge 
case are proportionately equal, and when sufficient 
pressure is exerted the bullet is moved from its 
seat or is set in motion ; but these same pressures 
which act upon the bullet and move it react upon 
the gun, which, being much heavier, does not 
yield so soon to their influence. Some minute 



The Theory of Rifle-shooting 251 

interval of time may also be lost, owing to the non- 
solidity or lost motion of the parts ; but usually 
the gun has moved backward over a portion of its 
path of recoil before the bullet has quitted the 
muzzle, and the recoil goes on accumulating and 
reaches its maximum after the bullet has left the 
barrel. It is an established principle that what- 
ever the force be that acts, there must be a cor- 
responding and equal reaction; and were it not for 
the great proportionate difference in the weights 
of the bullet and the gun, we could not stand up 
under the recoil at all. The force which moves 
the bullet and the column of air in front of it, 
reacts directly upon the gun. 

The force which continues to act on the base of 
the bullet, and causes it to overcome the friction 
of the grooves, also reacts upon the gun. And 
after the bullet has left the barrel the imprisoned 
gases and the residues rush out against the air, 
and these also react upon the gun ; and the 
gases will continue to issue forth until the press- 
ure of the confined gases equals the pressure of 
the outside air. 

Formerly it was thought that the gases rushing 
out left a vacuum in the barrel, and that the air 
suddenly filling up this vacuum caused the recoil. 



252 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

One of the sixteenth-century authors states that 
in discharging a large piece of ordnance the suc- 
tion was so great as to draw in an unfortunate 
dog which happened to be standing near. 

If the gun is left free to move backward, it will 
travel over a certain path; and if stopped suddenly 
at any point of this path, the resistance must be 
high and sudden and the result will be a severe 
blow. It is not well to hold the gun loosely, nor 
too tightly, against the shoulder, but in such a 
manner that the effect of the recoil is a steady 
push. 

There are various gauges to determine the re- 
coil of guns ; they are more or less accurate, but 
the formulae for the determination of recoil are 
somewhat complicated and not very trustworthy, 
so they are omitted. Various devices are used 
on guns shooting large charges, their principle 
being to lengthen the path of recoil and thereby 
reduce its severity. Soft rubber pads are the 
most satisfactory, and the recoil is often reduced 
by one-fifth or one-fourth of its total amount by 
their use, as may be easily proved. 

The heavier the bullet or charge of powder, the 
greater the recoil ; likewise, the higher the veloc- 
ity and the lighter the gun, the greater the recoil. 



The Theory of Rifle-Shooting 253 

The unpleasant effects we experience from 
recoil depends mostly upon the velocity of the 
recoil. With a high velocity of recoil the blow is 
sudden and sharp, as with a light gun, or when 
using fine-grain or quick-burning powder, which 
generates a high pressure in a very short time 
compared to the coarser, slower-burning grains. 
The difference in the feeling of the recoil from 
black and nitro powders is quite marked, and is 
due to the weights of the powders and their resi- 
dues, and the manner in which the pressures are 
distributed. The difference in the total energy 
of their recoils is not so great, however, as one 
might expect. 

Besides the direct recoil of the gun, there are 
the phenomena known as "jump" and "flip." 

The effect of jump is that the muzzle is ro- 
tated upward, often causing the bullet to leave 
the muzzle at a higher angle of elevation than it 
otherwise would. 

The line of application of the force of recoil is 
directly back through the axis of the bore and the 
centre of the breech-block. The point of resist- 
ance to this force is below it, through the butt 
of the gun, so that the whole piece is thrown 
upward. 



254 Guns, /Ammunition, and Tackle 

In the use of ordnance the angle of jump is 
always known and allowed for, and it is added to 
the angle of elevation, otherwise the range would 
be greater than the angle of elevation calls for, 
and the trajectory would appear much too low. 
Jump is most noticeable in the revolver, where the 
point of resistance is situated low down, owing to 
the shape of the butt, and with full charges the 
front sight is often so high that the axis of the 
bore actually makes an angle of depression with 
the horizontal plane, in order to allow for the 
effect of jump. In the .45-cal. Colt's revolver, using 
the full army charge, instead of angles of elevation, 
there are angles of depression to counteract the 
effects of jump up to over 250 yd. 

The angle of jump varies with the charge of 
powder and weight of bullet, and a gun that is 
shot from rest will generally show more jump than 
one shot off-hand. 

Now, it happens that if the barrel is thin and 
tapering, or the grip thin and weak, the gun muz- 
zle, instead of rotating upward, will at first be 
depressed. This depression of the muzzle is 
termed " flip." 

The barrel, if thin, actually bends, and it has 
been found that nearly all long barrels exhibit 



The Theory of Rifle-Shooting 255 

flip to a greater or less extent; and it begins 
before the bullet has left the barrel, so that the 
bullet leaves the barrel at a lower angle of eleva- 
tion than the sights record. Flip generally in- 
creases as the charge is increased, thus producing 
the anomaly of the bullet's falling lower on the 
target as the velocity increases ; and it seems that 
the more rigidly a gun is held, — in a vise, for in- 
stance, — the more irregular flip is. This is the 
principal reason that it is difficult to make a 
double rifle shoot accurately; and if regulated for 
one charge, they seldom shoot another so well. 
If a single barrel be intended for fine target 
shooting, it should be heavy ; for a slight differ- 
ence in the friction, amount of fouling, or muzzle 
velocity will affect the shooting of a light barrel 
that is sensitive to flip. For these reasons be 
careful to place the barrel always on the same 
spot when shooting from rest. I once owned a 
32-40 rifle with a light barrel, which was extremely 
sensitive to every change of condition. Firing 
at a spot 50 yd. distant at the same height as 
the axis of the bore and having the sights parallel 
with the axis of the bore, using 40 gr. of powder 
and a 165-gr. bullet, giving a muzzle velocity of 
about 1470 ft. -sec, I found that the drop of the 



256 Guns, AmmiLnition, and Tackle 

bullet averaged about 9 in. below the axis of 
the bore produced, while from the muzzle velocity 
we should expect a drop of about 2.2 in.; so that 
to account for the difference the gun muzzle must 
have been depressed about -^ of an inch when the 
bullet left the barrel. Then reducing the powder 
charge little by little, the bullets struck higher 
and higher, until after a certain limit they again 
began to drop lower and lower ; and when 28 gr. 
were used, the bullet again fell 9 in. below the 
axis of the bore, having the same apparent drop 
as the 40-gr. charge. 

Now, it is evident that the bullets shot with the 
greatest charge of powder had the highest velocity 
and the lowest trajectory curve ; but the variation 
in the amount of flip gave to each a different base 
line. It is therefore not always safe when making 
screen trajectories to consider the horizontal line 
from centre of bore to target as the true base line, 
for the muzzle may be slightly and irregularly 
depressed at each shot. Lack of care in these 
small details no doubt causes some of the puzzling 
trajectory curves which are from time to time 
published as the result of screen tests. 



THE PISTOL AND REVOLVER 

By a. L. a. Himmelwright 



THE PISTOL AND REVOLVER 

Pistol-shooting as a pastime has been practised 
since the time of the discovery of gunpowder. 
It is only recently, however, that it has been rec- 
ognized as a legitimate sport. 

The useful and practical qualities of the pistol 
and revolver have been developed almost wholly 
during the last half-century. Before this period 
the small arms designed to be fired with one hand 
were crude and inaccurate, and were intended to 
be used only at short range as weapons of defence. 
The single-barrelled muzzle-loading pistol has, 
nevertheless, been part of the army and navy 
ofificer's equipment since the sixteenth century. 
These pistols were of large caliber, smooth-bored, 
heavy, and unwieldy. The load was a spherical 
bullet and a large charge of powder. Enough 
accuracy was obtained to hit a man at 15 to 
20 paces, which was deemed sufficient. The 
usefulness of these arms in action was limited to 
the firing of a single shot, and then using them 

259 



26o Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

as missiles or clubs. The pistol in early days was 
considered a gentleman's arm — a luxury. It 
was the arm generally selected for duelling when 
that code was in vogue, the contestants standing 
lo to 20 paces apart and firing at the word of 
command. 

The development of the pistol has been con- 
temporaneous and closely identified with that of 
the rifle. With the grooving or rifling of the 
barrel, the accuracy was greatly improved and 
the arm adapted to conical bullets. Although 
numerous attempts were made to devise a multi- 
shot arm with flint, wheel, and match locks, it was 
not until the percussion cap was invented that a 
practicable arm of this character was produced. 
This was a " revolver " invented by Colonel Colt 
of Hartford, Conn., and consisted of a single barrel 
with a revolving cylinder at the breech containing 
the charges, the mechanism being such that the 
cocking of the piece after each discharge revolved 
the cylinder sufficiently to bring a loaded chamber 
in line with the barrel. The greatest advance in 
the development of firearms was the introduction 
of the system of breech-loading, employing am- 
munition in the form of cartridges. This principle 
rendered the operation of loading much simpler 



The Pistol and Revolver 261 

and quicker, and vastly improved the efficiency 
and general utility of the arms.^ 

The present popularity of pistol and re- 
volver shooting is due, no doubt, to recent im- 
provements in the arms and ammunition. The 
arms are now marvels of fine workmanship, easy 
to manipulate, durable, and extremely accurate. 
With the introduction of smokeless powders, the 
smoke, fouling, and noise have been reduced to 
a minimum. The effect of these improvements 
has been, not only to increase the efificiency 
of the arms, but also the pleasure of shooting 
them. 

As a sport, pistol shooting has much to com- 
mend it. It is a healthful exercise, being practised 
out-of-doors in the open air. There are no un- 
desirable concomitants, such as gambling, coarse- 
ness, and rough and dangerous play. In order to 
excel, regular and temperate habits of life must be 
formed and maintained. It renders the senses 
more alert and trains them to act in unison and in 

1 For a detailed history of the evolution of the pistol and revolver, the 
reader is referred to "Text-book for Officers at Schools of Musketry," 
Longman & Co., London; "Kriegstechnische Zeitschrift," Heft I and II, 
1901, Mittler & Sohn, Berlin; "The Modern American Pistol and Re- 
volver," Bradlee Whidden, Boston. Many interesting specimens of ancient 
and modern pistols and revolvers are owned and exhibited by the United 
States Cartridge Company of Lowell, Mass. 



262 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

harmony. But, above all, skill in shooting is a 
useful accomplishment. 

Any one possessing ordinary health and good 
sight may, by practice, become a good pistol shot. 
Persons who are richly endowed by nature with 
those physical qualities which specially fit them 
for expert shooting, will, of course, master the art 
sooner than those less favored ; but it has been 
conclusively shown that excellence is more a 
question of training and practice than of natural 
gift. Some of the most brilliant shooting has 
been done by persons possessing a decidedly 
nervous temperament; but those of phlegmatic 
temperament will generally make more uniform 
and reliable marksmen. 

It is much more difficult to shoot well with the 
pistol or revolver than with the rifle. The latter, 
having a stock to rest against the shoulder and 
steady one end of the piece, has a decided advantage 
in quick aiming and in pulling the trigger. The 
former, without a stock and being held in one 
hand with the arm extended so as to be free from 
the body, is without any anchor or support what- 
ever, and is free to move in all directions. Con- 
sequently the least jar, jerk in pulling the trigger, 
puff of wind, or unsteadiness of the hand greatly 



The Pistol and Revolver 263 

disturbs the aim. Intelligent practice will, how- 
ever, overcome these difficulties and disadvantages 
to such a degree that an expert shot with a pistol 
or revolver under favorable conditions can equal 
a fair shot with a rifle at the target up to 200 yd. 
When the novice essays to shoot the pistol or 
revolver, the results are generally disappointing 
and discouraging; but rapid progress invariably 
rewards the efforts of those who persevere, and 
when once thoroughly interested in this style of 
shooting, there comes a fascination for it that 
frequently endures throughout a lifetime. 

Arms 

The term " pistol " is frequently applied indis- 
criminately to the single-shot pistol and the re- 
volver. A marked distinction between these arms 
has gradually been developed. The pistol is now 
recognized as a single-shot arm, adapted for a 
light charge, and designed to secure extreme 
accuracy. Its use is limited almost exclusively 
to target and exhibition shooting. 

The modern revolver is an arm with a re- 
volving cylinder holding five or six cartridges, 
which are at the instant command of the shooter 
before it is necessary to reload. It is designed 



264 Gtins, Ammunition, and Tackle 

for heavy charges, and is a practical and for- 
midable weapon. Revolvers are made in great va- 
riety, and adapted for various purposes, such as 
military service, target shooting, pocket weapons, 
etc. The best grades of pistols and revolvers 
may be had at a reasonable price. The cheap 
grades with which the market is at all times 
flooded should be avoided. They are incapable 
of doing good work, and frequently are positively 
dangerous, on account of being made of inferior 
materials. 

Military Arms. — The revolver and the maga- 
zine pistol are used for military service. To ful- 
fil the requirements these arms must be strong, 
very durable, and withstand a great amount of 
hard usage without becoming disabled. The 
effectiveness, or "stopping power," is of prime 
importance. The caliber should be large, and 
the charge sufficiently powerful to give a pene- 
tration of at least 6 in. in pine. There has been 
a tendency in recent years to reduce the caliber 
of military revolvers. While tliis has resulted in 
increased velocity and penetration, and reduced 
the weight of the ammunition, it has not im- 
proved the stopping power of the arms. 

The sights must in all cases be very substan- 



The Pistol and Revolver 265 

tial, and solidly fixed to the frame or barrel. The 
trigger pull varies from 4 to 8 lb., the barrel 
from 4 to 7J in. in length, and the weight from 2 
to 2J lb. Ammunition loaded with smokeless 
powder is now invariably used for military 
service. 

The service revolvers as issued to the United 
States army and navy are the Smith & Wesson 
and Colt, both .38 cal., and taking the same am- 
munition. They have passed the prescribed 
series of tests as established by the United States 
government,^ and represent, without doubt, the 
highest development of the military revolver. 

The arms shown in Figs, i and 2 have solid 
frames, and the actions are almost identical, the 
cylinder swinging out to the left, on a hinge, 
when released by a catch. The shells may then 
be extracted simultaneously by pushing back the 
extractor rod. The Smith & Wesson has an ad- 
ditional locking device in front of the cylinder. 
The principal difference between these arms is in 
the shape of the handles. 

Other excellent military revolvers are the 
Smith & Wesson Russian Model and the Colt 

^ See Ordnance Reports, Department of War, Washington, D. C, for 
complete details of tests, etc. 



266 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

New Service, both 44 cal. The ammunition for 
these arms was formerly loaded with black 
powder; but smokeless cartridges have been 
adapted to them, which give slightly increased 
velocity and approximately the same accuracy. 

The Smith & Wesson Russian Model has a 
hinge " tip-up " action, with an automatic eject- 
ing device. The action is operated by raising a 
catch in front of the hammer. It is easy to ma- 
nipulate, and, on account of the accessibility of 
the breech, the barrel can be readily inspected 
and cleaned. This arm is single action. 

The action of the Colt New Service is similar 
to that of the .38-cal. revolver, shown in Fig. 2, 
with a solid frame. It is double action. 

The foregoing arms, with good ammunition, 
are capable of making groups of ten shots on a 
3-in. circle at 50 yd. 

The Colt Frontier Model is one of the most 
popular arms for hard service. It has a solid 
frame and is double action. The arm is operated 
by opening a gate on the right-hand side, back of 
the cylinder. The cartridges are inserted in the 
cylinder through the gate, the cylinder being re- 
volved by hand until the respective chambers 
come opposite the gate. In the same manner, 




Fig. I. — Smith & Wesson New Military Revolver. 
Six shots; 6^-inch barrel; weight, I lb., 15 oz. ; .38 cal. 




Fig. 2. — Colt New Army Revolver. 
Six shuts; 6-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb.; .38 cal. 




Fig. 3. — Smith & Wesson Russian Model Revolver. 
Six shots; 6|-inch barrel; weight, 39I oz.; .44 cal. 




Fig. 4. — Colt New Service Revolver. 
Six shots; 5|-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb., 8 oz.; .45 cal. 




Fig. 5. — Cult Frontier Model Revolver. 
Six shots; 5^-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb., 5 oz. ; .45 cai. 




Fig. 6. — Webley " W. G." Army Model Revolver. 
Six shots; 6-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb., 8 oz.; .455 cal. 



The Pistol and Revolver 267 

the shells are ejected by pushing the extractor 
rod back into each of the chambers. 

This revolver in .45 cal. was formerly the ser- 
vice weapon of the United States army, and is 
very powerful and durable. 

The Smith & Wesson Schofield Model, .45 cal., 
was also formerly a United States service weapon. 
The ammunition for this arm, while less powerful 
than the .45 Colt, was admirably adapted for mil- 
itary service, and had much less recoil. 

The Webley, " W. G." or " Army Model," re- 
volver is an English arm of much merit. The 
calibre is .455. It has a hinge "tip-up" action, 
with an automatic extractor very similar to the 
Smith & Wesson. 

The service weapon adopted by the Joint War 
Ofifice and Admiralty Committee for the British 
army and navy is the "Webley Mark IV," or 
"Service Model," revolver. This model is almost 
identical with the Army Model, except that the 
barrel is 4 in. long and the weight is 2 lb. 3 oz. 
On account of the short barrel, the accuracy of this 
weapon does not equal that of the Army Model. 

Another English arm is the " Webley-Fosbury " 
automatic revolver. The recoil revolving the 
cylinder and cocking the hammer, it can be fired 



268 Gtms, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

as rapidly as the automatic pistols. It is cham- 
bered for the 455 service cartridge loaded with 
6J gr. of cordite. This arm has been introduced 
since 1900. 

The magazine or automatic pistol, which is 
operated by the recoil, is the latest type of hand 
firearm. It has been perfected and introduced 
since 1899, and has almost double the velocity 
and range of the revolver. The Colt, Luger, 
Mauser, Mannlicher, and Mors are among the 
leading makes of this style of pistol. All of these 
arms have been tested by the United States gov- 
ernment.^ A limited number of the first two 
named are now (1903) being tried in the United 
States army. 

In both the Colt and the Luger pistols the car- 
tridges are inserted in clips and fed into the 
breech through the handle. In the Mauser pistol 
the cartridges are supplied in clips from the top 
and forced into a magazine located in front of the 
trigger. 

. The magazine pistols can be fired at the rate 
of about five shots per second. These arms equal 
the best military revolvers in accuracy. 

^ See Ordnance Reports, Department of War, Washington, D.C., for 
complete details of tests, etc. 




Pig. 7. — Webley-Fosbury Automatic Revolver. 
Six shots; 6-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb., 81 oz.; .455 cal. 




Fig. 8. — Colt Automatic Pistol. 
Seven shots; 6-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb., 5 oz.; .38 cal. 




Fig. g. — The Parabellum or " Luger " Automatic Pistol. 
Eight shots; 4|-inch barrel; weight, I lb., 1 3.4 oz.; .30 cal. 



The Pistol and Revolver 269 

Many persons believe that the magazine pistol 
will soon supersede the revolver for general use. 
While this may be the case eventually, it is not 
likely to occur within the next few years. The 
magazine pistol is more complicated, and conse- 
quently more difficult to learn to shoot with and 
care for, than the revolver. On account of the 
special problems to be solved in the mechanism, 
many of them balance poorly and the trigger pull 
is almost invariably long and creeping. The 
novice will also have difficulty to avoid flinching 
in shooting these arms, on account of the recoil 
mechanism, louder report, etc. The line of sight 
being considerably higher than the grip, if they 
are not held perfectly plumb, or in the same posi- 
tion at each shot, the shooting is liable to be irregu- 
lar. The cost is about double that of a good 
revolver. Until these undesirable features and 
disadvantages can be remedied or eliminated, the 
revolver will probably remain a popular arm. 

Target Arms. — For target purposes the great- 
est possible accuracy is desirable. To obtain this, 
many features essential in a military arm are sac- 
rificed. Delicate adjustable sights are employed, 
the trigger pull is reduced, the length of the bar- 
rel is increased, the charge reduced, etc. 



270 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

The most accurate arms available at the present 
time are the single-shot pistols manufactured by 
Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass.; The J. 
Stevens Arms & Tool Co., Chicopee Falls, Mass. ; 
The Remington Arms Co., Ilion, N.Y. ; and 
William Wurfflein, Philadelphia, Pa. These pis- 
tols are furnished in calibers from .22 rim-fire to 
.38 central-fire. The barrels are generally 10 in. 
in length and the trigger pull 2 lb. In the 
latest approved form these pistols are of .22 cal., 
specially bored and chambered for the rim-fire, 
long rifle cartridge. This is a light, clean, pleas- 
ant shooting charge, and may be fired many times 
with very little fatigue. Pistol shooting with 
arms of this caliber should, therefore, become a 
popular pastime for ladies as well as gentlemen. 

The Smith & Wesson pistol has a tip-up action 
and an automatic extractor. It is made of the 
best materials and with the greatest care. The 
fitting and workmanship are superior to that of 
any other machine-made pistol. The action is 
similar to that of the Russian Model revolver. 

The Stevens pistols are furnished in two other 
models for target-shooting. The " Lord " Model 
has a large frame and handle and a heavy bar- 
rel. Its weight is 2^ lb. The " Conlin " Model 




Fig. io. — Mauser Automatic Pistol. 
Ten shots; 5|-inch barrel; weiglit, 2 lb., 7^ oz.; .30 cal. 




Fig. II. — Smith & Wesson Pistol. 
lO-inch barrel; weight, i lb., 8| oz. ; .22 cal. 




Fig. 12. ^Stevens Pistol, Gould Model. 
lO-inch barrel; weight, i lb., 12 oz.; .22 cal. 



J^ 




FlQ. 13. — WurfTiein Pistol, 
lo-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb., 2 o/.; .22 cal. 




Fig. 14. — Remington Pistol, 
lo-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb., 8 oz. ; .44 cal. 




Fig. 15. — Gastinne-Renette Pistol. 
lOy'g-inch barrel; weight, 2 lb., 6 oz.; .44 cal. 



The Pistol and Revolver 271 

is the same as the " Gould " Model, but has a 
spur added to the trigger guard. The Gould 
Model is the most popular. All these models 
have a tip-up action and an automatic extractor. 
A small knob on the left side is pressed to release 
the barrel and operate the action. 

The Wurfflein pistol, like the Stevens, has a 
tip-up action. It is well made and has a handle 
very similar in shape to that of the duelling pistol 
of former days. The action is operated by releas- 
ing the catch on the handle, back of the hammer. 

The Remington pistol has an exceedingly 
strong action, and is the only pistol that can be 
had chambered for the .44 Russian cartridge. It 
has a large handle and a heavy barrel. The ac- 
tion is operated when the hammer is at half-cock 
by throwing back the breech-block with the 
thumb, simultaneously ejecting the empty shell. 

With good ammunition all these pistols are 
capable of placing ten shots within a 2-in. circle 
at 50 yd. 

A very accurate pistol for gallery and short- 
range shooting is made by M. Gastinne-Renette 
of Paris and used in his gallery in that city. 
These are muzzle-loading and very tedious and 
inconvenient to manipulate. For this reason 



272 Guns, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

they have not become popular. A few of these 
arms have been made up as breech-loaders, with 
a tip-up action similar to the Stevens, and cham- 
bered for the 44 Russian cartridge. In this form 
the pistol has given very good results. 

The revolver is not quite as accurate as the 
pistol, on account of the necessity of having the 
cylinder detached from the barrel. If the pin on 
which the cylinder revolves is not exactly parallel 
with the bore of the barrel, there will be more 
space between the cylinder and the breech end of 
the barrel in some positions of the cylinder than 
in others. The result will be varying amounts 
of gas escaping from the different chambers of 
the cylinder, and consequently irregular shooting. 
The accuracy of the revolver depends largely 
upon the degree of perfection in which all the 
chambers of the cylinder align with the bore of 
the barrel at the instant of discharge. When the 
chambers do not align perfectly, the bullet enters 
the barrel eccentrically and a portion of it is 
shaved off. This is fatal to accuracy, especially 
when smokeless powder is used. Imperfect align- 
ment of chamber and barrel is also the most fre- 
quent cause of the "leading" of the barrel. Some 
very ingenious mechanical expedients are used in 



The Pistol and Revolver 273 

the best revolvers to reduce to a minimum the 
wear of those parts which operate and hold the 
cylinder in position. 

The revolvers generally used for target shoot- 
ing are the military arms already described, cham- 
bered for special cartridges, fitted with target 
sights, special handles, and other modifications to 
suit the whims and tastes of individuals. The 
best and most experienced shots are, however, 
careful to keep the modifications of all their arms 
within the rules and regulations of the various 
national organizations,^ in order that they may be 
used in the annual competitions and other impor- 
tant events. These organizations control pistol 
and revolver shooting, and conduct annual com- 
petitions. " Freak " arms which do not comply 
with the rules are not allowed in the competi- 
tions, are seldom practical, and have little or no 
value other than for experimental purposes. Tar- 
get arms are generally used for trick and exhibi- 
tion shooting.^ 

^ The United States Revolver Association, The National Rifle Associa- 
tion of Great Britain, and the United Shooting Societies of France. For 
programmes and details, address the secretaries of the respective organiza- 
tions. 

^ For descriptions and illustrations of this style of shooting, see " The 
Art of Revolver Shooting," G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York and London. 
This elaborate work contains also much detailed information, valuable sug- 
T 



2 74 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

Pocket Arms. — The most extensive use of the 
revolver as a pocket weapon is for police service. 
Special arms are manufactured to meet the require- 
ments. These weapons are generally similar to 
the military revolvers, but adapted for lighter 
charges, and consequently weigh less. All pro- 
jections, such as sights, hammer, etc., must be 
eliminated or minimized so as not to catch in 
drawing the arm from the pocket or holster. The 
barrels are from 3 to 5 in. in length, the trigger 
pull 4 lb., and the caliber usually .32 or .38. 
Of these two calibers, .'^Z is much preferable for 
the general pui-poses of an arm of this character. 
The difference in weight is slight, while the power 
and effectiveness of the larger caliber is almost 
double that of the smaller. 

The pocket arms shown in Figs. 16 and 17 are 
practically miniatures of the military arms shown 
in Figs. I and 2. They have solid frames and 
actions identical with those of the military arms. 
They are made only in .32 cal., and are double 
action. 

One of the most recent pocket revolvers is the 
Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless. This arm 

gestions, and many interesting personal experiences in relation to revolver 
shooting. 



Fig. 1 6. — Colt New Police Fig. 17. — Smith & Wesson Pocket 

Revoher. Revolver. 

Six shots; 4-inch harrel; weight, Six shots; 4^-inch barrel; weight, 

18 oz.; .32 cal. i8| oz.; .32 cal. 




Fig. 18. — Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless Revolver. 
Five shots; 4-inch barrel; weight, i lb., I5 oz.; .;iS cal. 




Fig. 19. — Stevens Diamonrl Model Pistol. 
6-inch barrel; weight, 8| oz.; .22 cal. 



The Pistol and Revolver 275 

has a safety clutch in the back of the handle, so 
designed that unless the piece is properly held it 
is impossible to operate it. It has many valuable 
and desirable features to commend it as a practical 
pocket weapon. The standard length of barrel is 
4 in. This arm is also furnished in .32 cal. 

With 4-in. barrels, the foregoing pocket weapons 
are capable of shooting regularly within a 2-in. 
circle at 12 yd. 

A heavier and correspondingly more powerful 
pocket revolver is the Colt " Double Action " 
revolver. This arm is chambered for the Colt 
.41 cal. short and long cartridges. It has a solid 
frame, and is operated exactly like the Colt Fron- 
tier Model (Fig. 5). It is compact, strong, dura- 
ble, and accurate. 

The " Single Action Army " is another Colt 
revolver that has been extensively used as a belt 
or holster weapon. The mechanism and action 
are similar to that of the preceding arm, except 
that it is heavier and larger, and is single action. 

A very handy little arm to carry in the pocket 
on hunting and fishing trips is the Stevens Dia- 
mond Model single-shot pistol. This pistol is 
very accurate, and can be depended on to kill 
grouse, ducks, rabbits, and other small game. The 



276 Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 

.22-cal., short, hollow-pointed bullet should be 
used, or the regular .22 short cartridge, with the 
front of the bullet cut off square, so as to leave a 
flat point. This will increase the killing effect of 
the bullet considerably. 

Ammunition 

The degree of perfection that has been attained 
in the manufacture of ammunition is remarkable. 
Generally speaking, the smaller the charge the 
more difficult it is to make it accurate. Notwith- 
standing this, we have in the .22-cal. ammunition 
a tiny cartridge the accuracy of which falls little 
short of the marvellous. Until very recently, black 
powder ammunition was used almost exclusively 
for pistol and revolver shooting. In calibers 
larger than .22, smokeless powders are now exten- 
sively used, especially in military shooting, where 
the regulation full charge is required. In the .22- 
cal. pistols, the fouling of the black powders is not 
a very serious matter, and it is not uncommon to 
shoot fifty or a hundred rounds without the neces- 
sity of cleaning. In the larger calibers, however, 
the fouling is frequently so excessive that it affects 
the accuracy after the tenth shot. The incessant 
cleaning that is necessary in order to get good 



The Pistol and Revolver 277 

results with black powder ammunition was a 
great drawback, and detracted much from the 
pleasure of revolver shooting. Fortunately this 
objection is now entirely eliminated by the use of 
smokeless powders. 

To give good results, the proportions of any 
given charge must be adapted to the caliber, 
length of barrel, and weight of the arm in which 
it is to be used. These proportions are generally 
determined by experiment. The accuracy of the 
cartridge depends largely upon the uniformity 
exercised in the loading. In factory-loaded ammu- 
nition for military service, the shells are generally 
crimped on the bullets, to hold them rigidly in 
position. This does not improve the accuracy, 
but is a practical necessity. Reduced or " gallery " 
ammunition, designed to be used indoors and at 
short range, is made in great variety. A spheri- 
cal bullet is generally used, and gives fairly good 
results up to 25 yd. 

Rim-fire Cartridges. — These contain fulmi- 
nate of mercury for priming around the outer 
edge of the rim, or base of the shell, and are gen- 
erally loaded with black powder. 

The ".22-cal. long rifle" cartridge is more 
extensively used for pistol shooting than any 



278 Guns, Amfmuiition, and Tackle 

other. It is the most accurate of the .22-cal. car- 
tridges, being well proportioned, the bullet well 
lubricated, and the shell uncrimped. 

In addition to this, the ammunition is inexpen- 
sive and has very clean shooting qualities. It 
is, therefore, particularly well adapted for pistol 



Fig. 20. — Powder, 5 gr.; bullet, Fig. 21. — Powder, 3 gr.; bullet, 

40 gr.; exact cal., 0.223. 30 gr-; exact cal., 0.223. 



shooting. This cartridge, fired from a lo-in. bar- 
rel, will shoot regularly inside of a 2-in. circle, at 
50 yd., and inside a 5-in. circle, at 100 yd. 

Another excellent cartridge in this caliber is 
the ".22 short." Like the preceding, this car- 
tridge fouls very little and gives almost equal ac- 
curacy up to 50 yd. On account of its lighter 
report it is preferred by many for gallery shooting. 
In both of these cartridges only the surface of the 
bullet outside of the shell is lubricated. Exposed 
in this way, the lubricant is easily rubbed off, or 
melted if allowed to stand in the sunlight on a 
warm day. Great care should be taken to prevent 
this, as, without lubrication, the bullets will lead 
the barrel and cause inaccurate shooting. 



The Pistol and Revolver 279 

The 22-cal. Winchester is a cartridge with in- 
side lubrication. It is more powerful than the .22 
long rifle, and gives good 
results in the pistol. The 
bullet has a flat point, making fig. 22.— Powder, 7gr.; 

it suitable for game shoot- ^""''' ^5 gr.; exact cai., 
o 0.223. 

ing, and the lubrication being 

within the shell, these cartridges may be carried 

loose in the pocket. 

All the .22-cal. cartridges can be had with hol- 
low-pointed bullets, which are to be preferred for 
game-shooting. They are also furnished loaded 
with smokeless powder. When this powder was 
first used in .22-cal. ammunition, the results were 
far from satisfactory, but as now manufactured the 
smokeless ammunition approximates very closely 
in uniformity and accuracy to that loaded with 
black powder. The Winchester Repeating Arms 
Company has recently produced an alloy " grease- 
less " bullet in this caliber which, it is claimed, 
does not require lubrication. Should this claim 
be substantiated by actual experience, these bul- 
lets will probably supersede those of pure lead in 
these calibers. 

The .25-cal. Stevens is a much more powerful 
cartridge than any of the preceding, and gives 



28o Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

excellent results in the pistol. It is selected by 
those who wish a more powerful rim-fire cartridge 
than is furnished in .22 cal. 

Rim-fire cartridges in larger caliber than .25 
are used for derringers (large-bore, single-shot 

pocket-pistols now seldom 

used) and inferior grades 

^ , , , of revolvers. These car- 

FiG. 23. — Powder, ii gr.; bul- 
let, 67 gr.; exact cal, 0.257. tridges sometimes lack 

uniformity in caliber when 
made by different manufacturers, are frequently 
defective, and discharge occasionally in closing 
the action of the arm in which they are loaded. 
They consequently lack the safety, reliability, and 
accuracy of the corresponding calibers in central- 
fire ammunition. Rim-fire cartridges cannot be 
reloaded. 

Central-fire Cartridges, — This type of cartridge 
has a brass or copper primer charged with a small 
quantity of fulminate of mercury, and containing 
a skeleton anvil of brass. The primer fits water- 
tight in a socket in the centre of the base of the 
shell. After being discharged, the primer can 
be renewed and the shell reloaded. In all the 
central-fire cartridges the lubrication of the bullet 
is inside of the shell, rendering this ammuni- 



The Pistol and Revolver 281 

tion much more serviceable and less liable to be 
damaged. 

The .32-cal. S. & W. cartridge is adapted to the 
Smith & Wesson, Colt, or other pocket revolvers. 





Fig. 24. — Powder, 10 gr. ; bullet, FlG. 25. — Powder, 13 gr.; bullet, 
88 gr.; exact cal., 0.313. loogr.j exact cal., 0.313. 

Occasionally single-shot pistols are chambered for 
this cartridge. It is fairly accurate at ranges up 
to 50 yd. A gallery charge is furnished in this 
shell consisting of 4 gr. of powder and a spherical 
or " round " bullet weighing 47 gr. 

The .32-cal. S. & W. Long is more accurate 
and powerful than the preceding cartridge. It 
gives excellent results in both the pistol and re- 
volver. The gallery charge is the same as that 
of the .32 S. & W. 

The .32-cal. Colt New Police is also an accu- 
rate cartridge, and was designed specially for the 
Colt New Police revolver. A gallery charge is 
furnished in this shell con- 
sisting of a powder charge 
reduced to 7 gr. and the 

Fig. 26. — Powder, 1 3 gr. ; bul- 
regular bullet. let, loo gr.; exact cal., 0.313. 






282 Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 

The .32-44 S. & W. is a special target cartridge 
designed for the S. & W. Russian Model revolver. 
The bullet is seated inside of the shell, which is 
straight and uncrimped. The revolver may be 

chambered to take shells of 
either of the two lengths 
shown. The 17-gr. shell is 
F.G. 27. -Powder, II gr.;bui-gj.^ll preferred, as the 

let, 83 gr.; exact cal., 0.323. *-* •' *■ 

11-83 charge may also be 
loaded in it if desired. A 
gallery charge, consisting of 
Powder, 17 gr.; bullet, 98 gr. 4 gr. of powdcr and a round 
bullet weighing 50 gr., may 
also be used in both shells. 
This affords a wide range 
of charges in one shell. A 

50 gr. ^ o 

special feature of this car- 
tridge is that the same sights used for the 
gallery charge at 12 yd. are suitable for the 
11-83 charge at 50 yd. The full charge (17-98) 
in the long shell is the most accurate of all the 
black powder revolver cartridges. This ammu- 
nition, shot from a 6^-in. barrel, is capable of 
making ten-shot groups in a 2-in. circle at 50 yd., 
and a 5-in. circle at 100 yd. The 11-83 charge, 
under the same conditions, will also shoot in a 2-in. 




The Pistol and Revolver 283 

circle at 50 yd. The 4-50 charge will shoot in a 
I -in. circle at 20 yd. This cartridge also gives 
good results in single-shot pistols. 

The .38 S. & W. is adapted to the Smith & 
Wesson, Colt, and other pocket revolvers. It is 
much more powerful than the 
.32 S. & W., and is conse- 
quently more practical and 

, , , , , Fig, 28. — Powder, 15 gr.; 

better adapted for a pocket buUet, 146 gr.; exact cai., 
revolver charge. When shot °-358- 
from a 4-in. barrel, groups of ten shots can be 
made in a 2-in. circle at 20 yd., and in a 6-in. 
circle at 50 yd. The galleiy charge is 6 gr. of 
powder and a round bullet weighing 71 gr. 

These two cartridges are adapted to the Colt 
and S. & W. Military revolvers. The first is the 




Fig. 29. 
Powder, i8 gr.; bullet, 150 gr. Powder, 2\\ gr,; bullet, 158 gr.; 

exact cal., 0.358, 

regulation service charge, and the second is a 
special target cartridge. Both are exceedingly 
accurate. From a 6-in. barrel six shots may be 
placed within a 6-in. circle at lOO yd. Smokeless 



284 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

ammunition in this caliber gives equally good 
and uniform results ; fifty to one hundred shots 
may be fired without cleaning and without sensi- 
bly affecting the accuracy. 

The .38-44 S. & W. is another cartridge de- 
signed for the S. & W. Russian Model revolver. 




Fig. 30. — Powder, 20 gr.; bullet, 
146 gr.; exact cal., 0.360. 



146 gr. Iiogr. 100 gr. 



72 gr. 



It is more powerful than the .32-.44, but on 
account of the excessive fouling of this charge as 
now manufactured, the accuracy is impaired after 
the seventh shot. With an improved cleaner- 
shooting charge it would be accurate and ex- 
tremely popular for target-shooting. This car- 
tridge was originally designed and made for 
Chevalier Ira Paine, the noted pistol shot. Like 
the .32-44, the shell is straight and uncrimped, 
and the bullet is seated in it so that the point is 
flush with its mouth. Several reduced charges 
have been developed for this shell. The Ideal 
Manufacturing Company can furnish moulds for 
a conical bullet with a square base weighing no 




The Pistol and Revolver 285 

gr., or with a concave base weighing 100 gr. The 
powder charge for either bullet is 9 gr. This 
charge works well up to 50 yd. A smaller load 
is the regulation gallery charge of 6 gr. of powder 
and a round bullet weighing 72 gr. 

The .44-cal. Russian^ is unquestionably the 
most popular revolver cartridge for target-shoot- 
ing. While it has sufficient power to make it an 
effective charge for mili- 
tary service, it possesses, 
at the same time, remark- 
able accuracy. In the 

c i? Air -D • A/r J 1 Fig. 3i.-Powder, 23 gr.; bullet, 

b. & W. Russian Model, 246 gr.; exact cal., 0.429. 

or the Colt New Service 

revolver, the recoil is not so great as to be unpleas- 
ant, and the fouling is much less than that of many 
smaller charges. The fouling of the full charge 
load with black powder begins to "cake" or 
harden in the barrel after the twentieth shot, and, 
to get the best results, the barrel should be 
cleaned after every ten shots. Nearly all the great 
records in revolver shooting have been made 
with this ammunition, and most of the important 
matches have been won with it. A great deal of 

^ So named after its adoption as the service ammunition of the Russian 
cavalry. 



286 Guns, Ammuniticm, and Tackle 



experimental work has been done with this car- 
tridge, and many reduced charges have been 
evolved. The Ideal Manufacturing Company can 
furnish moulds for the following bullets : — 



liogr. 
7gr- 




23 gr- 




Ht|i|UMl 




121 gr. 205 gr. 

7 &• 15 gf- 

Fig. 32. 






Fig. 33. — Powder, 40 gr. ; bullet, 
250 gr.; exact cal., 0.454. 




Fig. 34. 



The weight of each, with the corresponding 
powder charge, is given. These various loads 
adapt this shell to almost any conceivable require- 



The Pistol and Revolver 



287 



ments in revolver shooting. The accuracy of the 
various charges fired from a 6j-in. barrel is as 
follows : — 





Diameter of Circle Enclosing Group of 10 Shots 


Charge 




20 yds. 


30 yds. 


50 yds. 


100 yds. 


200 yds. 


23-246 


I in. 


i\ in. 


2| in. 


6 in. 


15 in. 


7-1 10 


I in. 


2 in. 








7-130 


1^ in. 


2\ in. 








12-160 




2 in. 


3 in. 






12-175 




2\ in. 








7-120 


i^ in. 


2j in. 








15-205 




2 in. 


3 in. 


7 in. 




10-175 


i\ in. 











Revolvers are sometimes chambered for the 
.44-40-200, the .38-40-180, and the .32-20-115 
rifle cartridges. These charges are not as accu- 
rate as the .44 Russian, but can be relied on to 
shoot inside a 5-in. circle at 50 yd. These car- 
tridges are desirable only when it is an advantage 
to use the same ammunition in the rifle and 
revolver, or in certain localities where only a few 
varieties of ammunition are to be had. The large 
powder charge makes the recoil of the first two 
cartridges named rather unpleasant. The 32-20 



288 Guns, /Ammunition, and Tackle 

-115 is the most accurate of these cartridges, and 
gives the best results in the pistol or revolver. 
All these cartridges having flat-pointed bullets 
are well adapted for game shooting. There are 
no gallery loads for these cartridges. 

The .45 Colt Army is the most powerful of all 
the revolver cartridges. It was formerly the 
United States army service ammunition. The 
charge was so heavy, and the recoil so excessive, 
that it was almost impossible to shoot it without 
flinching. The service charge was afterward 
modified to 28 gr. of powder, which made it much 
more desirable and serviceable. With the latter 
charge this cartridge is very similar to the 45-30 
-250 Scofield Model S. & W. cartridge. Both 
of these are sufficiently powerful, accurate, and 
clean-shooting to render them suitable for military 
service. The gallery load for the .45 Colt is 7 gr. 
of powder and a round bullet weighing 1 39 gr. 

The caliber of the service ammunition for the 
revolver of the British army is .455. This is a 
very accurate cartridge, but not as powerful as the 
corresponding military cartridges as used in this 
country. A special cylindrical bullet with a deep 
convex hollow point is furnished in the same shell 
and is known as the " man stopper." 



The Pistol and Revolver 



289 



This form of bullet is used in the 450 and .38 
cal. cartridges also. The 450-13-225 is another 
English cartridge that is accurate, and pleasant to 
shoot. It is used largely at Bisley in the annual 
revolver competitions of the National Rifle As- 
sociation of Great Britain. 

In order to avoid excessive fouling, a self- 
lubricating bullet has been invented and intro- 
duced by Smith & Wesson, which can be furnished 




Jb'iG. 35. — Self-lubricating 
cartridge. 



Section showing details of 
construction. 



in all calibers above .32. The bullet has a hollow 
core open in the rear. Lubricant is filled into 
the core, after which it is closed with a lead 
plunger. Four small ducts communicate from the 
forward end of the core to the exterior of the 
bullet just ahead of its bearing on the barrel. At 
the moment of discharge the plunger is driven 
forward, forcing the lubricant through the ducts 
into the barrel ahead of the bullet. 

This bullet has given excellent results. With 
it a hundred or more shots may be fired with 



290 Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 

black powder ammunition without causing suffi- 
cient fouling to impair the accuracy. 

Nearly all the cartridges that have been referred 
to were originally designed for black powder. 
The various manufacturers can now furnish most of 
these loaded with smokeless powder at a very slight 
advance in price. The cartridges are loaded so 
as to give approximately the same velocity as 
black powder. The accuracy and uniformity with 
smokeless powder was not at first equal to that of 
the black ; but with a better knowledge of the 
action and behavior of smokeless powders this 
difficulty has been overcome, and the smokeless 
equivalent in this ammunition now gives, not only 
substantially the same results as that loaded with 
black powder, but also causes much less fouling 
and smoke, and has a lighter report. These 
advantages will, no doubt, soon be generally 
recognized, and smokeless powder will supersede 
black for general sporting purposes just as it has 
for military service. 

Most of the smokeless charges that have been 
adapted for the black powder cartridges are still 
in the experimental stage. For this reason the 
manufacturers who have developed satisfactory 
smokeless charges are unwilling to make them 



The Pistol and Revolver 



291 



public at the present time, preferring to wait until 
they have been thoroughly tested and tried. The 
following factory-loaded smokeless cartridges have 
been found equally as accurate as the correspond- 
ing black powder ammunition : — 



Cartridge 


Diam. 

of 
Bullet 


Bullet and 
Weight 
in Grains 


Brand of Powder and Weight 
in Grains 


Distance 

of Crease 

from 

Mouth 

of Shell 


.38 Long Colt . . . 
.38 S. & W. Special 
.38 S. & W. Gallery 
.44 S. & W. Russian 
.44 S. & W. Gallery 


•359 
•359 
.360 

•431 
.432 


Conical, 150 gr. 
Conical, 158 gr. 
Round, 72 gr. 
Conical, 246 gr. 
Round, 121 gr. 


3.2 gr., Laflin & Rand Bullseye 
3} gr., Laflin & Rand Bullseye 

1.3 gr., Laflin & Rand Bullseye 
3I gr., Laflin & Rand Bullseye 
2 gr., Laflin & Rand Bullseye 


•37 in. 
•33 in. 
.63 in. 
.325 in. 
•47 in. 



In all the above cartridges, the bullets are 
seated on the crease in the shell, leaving a much 
larger space in the shell than is actually occupied 
by the powder charge. 

The following additional smokeless charges will 
also give equally good results : — 



292 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 





Diam. 


Bullet and 


Brand of Powder 


Top of Bullet 


Cartridge 


of 


Weight 


and Weight in 


from Mouth 




Bullet 


in Grains 


Grains 


of Shell 






Conical, 


1.8 gr. 




.38 S. & W. Special 


•359 


hollow base, 
100 gr. 
Conical 


Laflin & Rand 
Bullseye 
3-2 gr. 


.15 in. above 


.44 S. & W. Russian 


•431 


Anderton, 
205 gr. 
Conical, 


Laflin & Rand 

Bullseye 

2-3 gr. 


.15 in. above 


.44 S. & W. Russian 


■431 


hollow base, 

160 gr. 

Gallery conical, 


Laflin & Rand 

Bullseye 

2-3 gr. 


I in. below 


.44 S. & W. Gallery 


•431 


hollow base, 

no gr. 

Gallery conical. 


Laflin & Rand 

Bullseye 

4-6 gr. 


J in. below 


.44 S. & W. Gallery 


•431 


hollow base, 
iiogr. 


Hazard Blue 
Ribbon 


.2 in. below 


.44 S. & W. Gallery 


•431 


" Wad cutter," 


4.0 gr. 








17s gr- 


Hazard Blue 
Ribbon 


Nose of bullet, 
4 in. above 



In developing some of the foregoing gallery 
charges, it was found that the amount of air 
space affected the accuracy to an extraordinary 
degree. , The position of the bullet in the shell, 
as given in the last column, should be carefully 
noted when reloading. The bullets for the gallery 
charges should be alloyed with tin in the proportion 
of one part of tin to fourteen parts of pure lead. 

With the introduction of the magazine pistol, 
special smokeless cartridges have been devised 
that are rimless and have a crease around the base 
by which they may be held and extracted by the 



The Pistol and Revolver 



293 




Powder, 8 gr. (smokeless) ; bul- 
let, 105 gr.; exact cal., 0.358. 



mechanism. This ammunition is furnished loaded 
with full mantled and " soft 
nose " bullets, the latter for 
hunting purposes. 

When fired from the 
regulation arms, this ammu- 
nition is capable of placing 
ten shots inside a 3-inch 

circle at 50 yd., and inside Powder, S^gr. (smokeless); bul- 

let, 93 gr.; exact cal., .3016. 

a 7-in. circle at loo yd. 
These cartridges are ex- 
ceedingly clean-shooting. 
Several hundred rounds 
may be fired without caus- 




"MHtW 



Powder, 7|gr. (smokeless) ; bul- 
let, 85 gr.; exact cal., .3008. 
Fig. 36. 

ing more fouling than is apparent after the first shot. 



Muzzle Velocities and Penetration 





Length of 
Barrel 


Muzzle 


Velocity 


Penetration 


Cartridge 


Black 
Powder 


Smokeless 
Powder 


Inches in Pine 


.32 S. & W. . . . 


6 in. 


800 


885 


2^ 


.32 Long Colt . . . 
.32 Colt New Police . 


6 in. 
4 in. 


748 
72,2> 


743 


4i 
5 


.38 S. & W. . . . 
.38 S. & W. Special . 
.38 Long Colt . . . 
.44 S. & W. Russian . 


6\ in. 
6\ in. 
6 in. 
6| in. 


763 

794 
677 


794 
784 
789 
750 


4i 

SI 
6i 


.30 Luger Automatic . 


4f in. 




II 50 


8 


.30 Mauser Automatic 


52 in. 




1340 


10 


.38 Colt Automatic . 


6 in. 




1250 


n 



294 Guns, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

Sights 

The purpose of sights is to assist in aiming. 
The national organizations allow only "open" 
sights in pistol and revolver shooting. " Peep " 
or " aperture " sights are barred. The rear sight 
usually consists of a notch shaped like a V or a 
U, the notch being as wide on top as at any part. 




k 




k 



Side view. End view. Side view. End view. 

Front Sights. 



Rear sight. 



Appearance when aiming. 

Military Sights. 
Fig. 37. 



The front sight is a piece of thin metal set on 
edge. Sometimes the latter has a special shape 
or section resembling a pinhead when looking 
at it from the breech, as in aiming. Military 
sights usually consist of a plain notch in the top 
of the frame for the rear sight and a tapering 
front sight fixed to the barrel near the muzzle. 



The Pistol and Revolver 295 

Target sights are made in endless variety to 
suit individual ideas. The sights most generally 
used for target-shooting are the " Paine " sights, 
named after Chevalier Ira Paine, who invented 




1 



Rear sight. Side view. End view. Appearance 

Front sight. when aiming. 

" Paine " Sights. 
Fig. 38. 

and was the first to use them. The rear sight 
is a flat bar with a semicircular notch, and the 
front sight is a " bead " sight ; that is, a sight that 
resembles a pinhead when aiming. 

Another sight that many of the best shots are 
using is the " Patridge " sight, developed by Mr. 




Side view. End view. Appearance 

Rear sight. Front sight. when aiming. 

Patridge Sights. 
Fig. 39. 

E. E. Patridge of Boston, Mass. The rear sight 
has a wide rectangular notch ; the front sight is 
plain with a square top, as shown. 



296 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

These sights have been referred to in the order 
in which they are most used. It is generally 
necessary for individuals to try various sights 
before they are able to select intelligently. In 
target arms different-shaped sights may be used 
in the same base or fitting, so that it is a com- 
paratively easy matter to try any or all of these 
sights on the same arm. 

The notch of the rear sight should have a 
bevelled edge concave toward the front. This 
will secure sharpness of outline in any light. 
The front sight should also be distinct and is 
found to be most satisfactory when the side 
toward the eye is a surface at right angles to the 
line of sight. 

Position 

The position in pistol and revolver shooting is 
very important. In firing a long series of shots, 
a man with an easy, natural position will suffer 
much less fatigue, and will have a decided advan- 
tage over another whose position is straining and 
uncomfortable. Formerly the approved position 
was to stand with the right side toward the target. 
This required the head to be turned ninety de- 
grees from its natural position, and was very 



The Pistol and Revolver 297 

uncomfortable. Undoubtedly this position is a 
relic of duelling days, when it might have been 
argued that a smaller mark was offered to the 
antagonist. 

The positions adopted by the leading shots vary 
considerably. Most of them face a trifle to the 
left of the target, with the right foot 6 or 8 
inches ahead of the left, and pointing directly 
toward the target, the weight of the body sup- 
ported equally by both legs and perfectly balanced. 
Others shoot with the feet close together; some 
with one or both eyes open, and with the arm 
partly or fully extended. The question of posi- 
tion depends largely upon the physique and com- 
fort of the individual. 

Mr. Winans' position is an exceedingly strong 
one. His poise is very good, and he stands 
firmly on both feet. The left arm falls straight 
down along the left side of the body. This 
affords rigidity when desired, and imparts action 
to the figure. 

Mr. Axtell has a stanch, natural position. 
Like Mr. Winans, he shoots with the right arm 
fully extended, and he holds the weapon in the 
correct and most approved manner. 

The position of Mr. Anderton is excellent. He 



298 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

enjoys perfect health, and has his large muscular 
development well under control. His position is 
strong, natural, and comfortable. Another good 
position is that of Mr. Richmond. He is not as 
well poised as Mr. Anderton, but his position is 
graceful and businesslike. 

The positions of Mr. Patridge and Sergeant 
Petty are characteristic and typical of persons of 
entirely different physique. 

Mr. Gorman and Dr. Sayre are men of very 
similar physique. Their positions, which resemble 
each other closely, are firm, easy, and natural. 

Target-shooting 

In the development of firearms and ammuni- 
tion, target-shooting has always occupied an im- 
portant place. It is regularly and systematically 
practised in the army and navy, in order to main- 
tain and improve the proficiency of the men as 
marksmen. Target-shooting, with many different 
styles of firearms, under prescribed rules and 
regulations, has also become extremely popular 
with civilians. 

A target is a mark or object of suitable form 
and color designed to be fired at. It usually 
consists of a frame covered with canvas or paper, 



The Pistol and Revolver 299 

presenting a white surface with a prominent spot 
or bull's-eye in the centre. Concentric circles 
around the centre divide the target into zones 
which are assigned values, decreasing from the 
centre outward. On a regularly equipped range 
the targets are movable frames, so arranged that 
they may be raised to the firing position and then 
lowered into a pit, where the marker can safely 
examine the target, mark the shot accurately, and 
cover the shot-hole with a paster. The sum of 
the values of a limited series of consecutive shots, 
as 5, 7, 10, 20, 50, etc., constitutes a score. 

Target-shooting was indulged in extensively 
with the rifle many years before it became popular 
with the pistol and revolver. The shorter barrel, 
and the greater difficulty in acquiring skill with 
the latter weapons, were doubtless responsible for 
the mistaken idea long prevalent that these arms 
were extremely inaccurate. When, however, a 
few individuals developed sufficient skill to obtain 
fine shooting, their performances were considered 
phenomenal. Among the first to obtain a high 
order of skill with the muzzle-loading pistol in 
the United States was Captain John Travers of 
Missouri. He was well known as an expert 
pistol shot as early as i860. In that year Cap- 



300 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

tain Travers shot an interesting individual match 
in St. Louis at a distance of loo feet. Fifteen 
china plates, nine inches in diameter, were used 
as targets. Captain Travers broke 1 1 out of the 
15, while his opponent broke but 9. 

In 1865 Colonel William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) 
and Captain William P. Schaaf of St. Louis 
became prominent as pistol shots. The latter 
subsequently joined Captain Travers in a three 
years' tour of the United States, giving exhibitions 
in nearly all the large cities. 

About 1880 Ira Anson Paine, a native of 
Massachusetts, attracted attention by his fine 
marksmanship with the pistol. In 1881 he went 
abroad, and for a number of years he travelled 
over the principal countries of Europe, giving 
public exhibitions of his skill with the pistol and 
revolver. While in Portugal in 1882 he was 
knighted by the king in the presence of a notable 
assemblage, and made a chevalier of an ancient 
military order. In his exhibitions Chevalier Paine 
used a Stevens Lord Model pistol and a Smith & 
Wesson revolver. His skill with these arms was 
so far in advance of his contemporaries that he 
was popularly supposed to accomplish many of 
his feats by trickery. 



The Pistol and Revolver 301 

Target-shooting with the pistol and revolver, 
as a sport, may be said to have originated at the 
annual meeting of the National Rifle Association 
at Creedmoor in 1886. During that meeting a 
revolver match was scheduled to be shot at 25 
yd. on the 200-yd. Standard American Rifle 
Target. It was a reentry match, with the three 
best scores of five shots each of any contestant 
to count. In this match three scores of 48 out 
of 50 were made, the highest individual aggregate 
of three scores being 143 out of a possible 150. 

The same year a similar match was announced 
at the fall meeting of the Massachusetts Rifle 
Association at Walnut Hill. Chevalier Paine 
was a competitor in this match, and made 50-49- 
49 = 148 in six entries. The next best three 
scores equalled 142. 

These matches proved so interesting and suc- 
cessful that target-shooting with the pistol and 
revolver became instantly popular all over the 
country. It was soon found that the arms pos- 
sessed remarkable accuracy, and as the skill of 
the shooters improved the distance was increased 
to 50 yd., retaining the same target. 

Mr. A. C. Gould, editor of The Rifle, now 
Shooting and Fishing, was the first to recognize 



302 Guns, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

the possibilities of the pistol and revolver, and 
became greatly interested in the performances 
with these arms. He assisted and encouraged 
the shooters, witnessed their work, and made 
careful and elaborate records of all the important 
scores that were made in the United States from 
1886 to 1900/ It was at his suggestion that 
Chevalier Paine essayed to fire the first loo-shot 
score at 50 yd. on the Standard American Target, 
scoring 791 points. This shooting was done with 
a finely sighted .44 cal. Smith & Wesson Russian 
Model Revolver, regulation full charge ammuni- 
tion, and a 2J lb. trigger pull. A keen rivalry for 
the lOO-shot record soon sprang up, resulting as 
follows : — 



Oct. 15, 1886, Chevalier Ira Paine at Walnut Hill 

March 7, 1887, Chevalier Ira Paine " 

Nov. 4, 1887, F. E. Bennett " 

Nov. 14, 1887, F. E. Bennett " 

Dec. 5, 1887, F. E. Bennett " 

Dec. 17, 1887, Chevalier Ira Paine " 

Dec. 22, 1887, Chevalier Ira Paine " 

Dec. 23, 1887, W. W. Bennett " 



791 
841 

857 
877 
886 
888 
904 
914 



This rivalry led to a long newspaper contro- 
versy, and culminated in the famous Paine- 
Bennett revolver match. The conditions were 

1 See 77te Modern American Pistol and Revolver, by A. C. Gould. 
Bradlee Whidden, Publisher, Boston, Mass, 



The Pistol and Revolver 303 

as follows: Stakes, ^1000.00; 100 shots per day 
for six consecutive days; Smith & Wesson Rus- 
sian Model Revolvers, .44 cal. ; factory-loaded full 
charge ammunition ; trigger pull, 3 lb. ; Standard 
American Target with 8-in. bull's-eye ; distance, 
50 yd. On the fifth day of the match, and while 
9 points in the lead. Chevalier Paine entered a 
protest and withdrew. Mr. F. E. Bennett con- 
tinued shooting, as stipulated in the match, scor- 
ing 5093 points for the total of the six days. The 
protest was referred to the National Rifle Asso- 
ciation, which decided in favor of Mr. Bennett, 
awarding him the match and the championship 
of America. 

In practising for this match Mr. F. E. Bennett, 
under the same conditions, made a score of 915. 
This record was not excelled until June i, 1901, 
when C. S. Richmond of Savannah, Georgia, 
scored 918 points under substantially the same 
conditions. 

During the summer of 1890 Mr. William E. 
Carlin, assisted by Mr. Hubert Reynolds, made a 
very elaborate series of tests with the revolver 
and various kinds of ammunition. The shooting 
was done with a telescopic sight, and from a sand- 
bag rest. The results obtained were remarkable. 



304 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

and added materially to the definite information 
then available as to the capabilities of the revolver, 
the relative accuracy of different charges, etc. 

A very interesting revolver match for a trophy 
offered by Mr. Walter Wi nans took place in 1892. 
Mr. Winans is a noted American revolver shot, 
residing in England, and the trophy — an Ameri- 
can cowboy executed admirably in bronze — was 
modelled by him. The match was conducted by 
Forest and Stream. The trophy was won, after 
a spirited competition, by Dr. Louis Bell. Under 
the conditions of the match, the winner was to 
defend his title two years before the trophy 
became his property. The trophy was won suc- 
cessively by George E. Jantzer and Sergeant W. 
E. Petty. Sergeant Petty defended the trophy 
successfully for two years, and now holds it 
permanently. 

The " best on record " performances with the 
single-shot pistol, on the Standard American 
Target, at 50 yd., are as follows: — 

100 shots : 

Sept. 22, 1888, F. E. Bennett, Walnut Hill, Mass. . 906 

Nov. 10, 1888, F. E. Bennett, " " " . 934 

Sept. 10, 1890, F. E. Bennett, " " « . 936 

Feb. 25, 1900, J. E. Gorman, San Francisco, Cal. . 939 

May 26, 1 90 1, J. E. Gorman, " " " . 942 

March i, 1902, E. E. Patridge, Walnut Hill, Mass. . 942 



The Pistol and Revolver 305 



50 shots : 

Nov. 10, 1888, F. E. Bennett, Walnut Hill, Mass. 
Feb. II, 1900, J. E. Gorman, San Francisco, Cal. 
May 20, 1 90 1, J. E. Gorman, " " " 

Dec. 7, 1901, T. Anderton, Walnut Hill, Mass. 
April 4, 1903, T. Anderton, " « " 



470 
471 
474 
476 
480 



A record, or "best on record," is the highest 
recognized score of any given number of shots 
fired under certain standard conditions, and with 
an arm complying with certain estabhshed rules. 
The records of pistol and revolver shooting in the 
United States were carefully established and com- 
piled by Shooting and Fishing until the year 
1900, when the records were intrusted to the 
United States Revolver Association. This asso- 
ciation, with the support and cooperation of all 
the leading shots of the country, formulated rules 
and regulations to govern pistol and revolver 
shooting, and inaugurated the annual champion- 
ship matches. These are shot simultaneously in 
different parts of the United States, thus giving 
everybody an opportunity to enter the compe- 
titions. This association also negotiated and 
conducted the first international revolver match 
between France and the United States, which 
took place in June, 1900. This match attracted 
world-wide attention, and was won by the United 



3o6 Guns, /Ammunition, and Tackle 

States. The conditions of the match were as 
follows : Ten men on a side ; the Americans to 
shoot at Greenville, NJ., and the Frenchmen 
in Paris. Results to be cabled. Each side to 
appoint an umpire to witness the shooting of the 
opposing side. Each man to shoot 30 shots on 
the French target at 16 metres and 30 shots on 
the Standard American target at 50 yd. Possible, 
6000. Total scores : Americans, 4889 ; French, 
4828. 

The influence of the association on pistol 
and revolver shooting has been very beneficial. 
It has established uniformity in arms, rules, etc., 
and has encouraged and conducted many friendly 
matches between clubs, thus bringing the shots in 
different parts of the country in closer touch with 
each other. 

In order to become familiar with the arms and 
develop skill in shooting, careful and systematic 
practice is necessary. This can be most conven- 
iently and intelligently obtained in target-shooting. 
At a properly equipped range, each shot is " spot- 
ted "^ as fired, so that the shooter can tell instantly 
where each shot strikes. This is a great aid and 

1 The position of a shot accurately indicated by a marker from a pit or 
safe place near the target. 



The Pistol and Revolver 307 

advantage, as it enables the shooter to note the 
effect of changes in light, wind, slight displace- 
ments in the sights, etc., and modify his work 
accordingly. The usual distance is 50 yd. Very 
good shooting has been done at 100 yd., and even 
at 200 yd., but such long-range shooting is rarely 
attempted except by the very best shots. The 
whole target being so small at that distance, a 
shot need not be very wild to miss the target. 
Such an occurrence is very unsatisfactory and 
disconcerting to a fairly skilful shot. There is, 
moreover, nothing to be gained by extremely 
long-range work. The pistol and revolver are not 
designed for it, and there is much more pleasure 
and satisfaction in shooting at the shorter ranges. 
It is customary and desirable to practise at the 
target under the conditions governing the annual 
championship matches. This accustoms one to 
those conditions, and is a decided advantage if one 
expects to enter the competitions. It is also ex- 
cellent training for record shooting. In target 
practice with military arms, regulation full-charge 
ammunition should be used in all cases, especially 
when practising rapid-fire shooting. With target 
weapons, reduced charges are frequently used, and 
the shooting is generally slow and deliberate. 



3o8 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

The target used by the United States army for 
revolver practice is the regulation silhouette man 
target. 

This consists of the figure of a man standing, 
and is used for both mounted and dismounted 
practice. For the mounted practice the target 
consists of a steel skeleton frame, covered with 
cloth and black paper, and is held in position by 
supporting rods and braces. This is designated 
as " Target D." Five of these targets are set up 
at a distance of lo yd. and 20 yd. apart, and the 
troopers ride by them on the walk, trot, and gal- 
lop, firing one shot at each target as they pass. 
This practice is modified by changing the position 
of the targets so the position will be 25, 20, 15, 10, 
and 5 yd. respectively, and shooting to the right, 
left, and rear. Ten shots per man are also fired 
at " Target K " — the silhouette figure of a mounted 
soldier. The total ammunition allowance to cav- 
alry troops for mounted and dismounted practice 
is 150 rounds per man annually. 

For the dismounted practice, the silhouette 
figure of a man is mounted on a frame 4 ft. wide 
and 6 ft. high, and is known as " Target A-d." 
This target has a horizontal line through the mid- 
dle. Hits in the black figure above the line count 



The Pistol and Revolver 



309 



5, and below the line, 4. Shots on the rest of the 
target above the line count 3, and below the line, 
2. Five shots constitute a score. All revolver 
target practice consists of two classes, "prelimi- 



4'0^ 



nary" and "record," 
the latter being 
incorporated in the 
official reports. The 
artillery and infan- 
try officers' practice 
consists of one pre- 
liminary score and 
two record scores 
at each of the dis- 
tances, 10, 20, 30, 
40, and 50 yd. For 
cavalry troops the 
prescribed practice 
on this target con- 
sists of one preliminary score at each of the dis- 
tances, 10, 20, and 50 yd., and one record score 
at each of the distances, 20 and 50 yd. 

The United States army regulations also provide 
for annual competitions in each department, and in 
each even-numbered year a competition between 
representatives of all the departments. In the 




Fig. 48. — Target A-d, U.S.A. 



3IO Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

competitions, the scores shot on the A-d target 
must be completed within certain specified time 
Hmits. After the competitor has taken his posi- 




FiG. 49. — Standard American Target. 
Diameter of Circles 



10 circle . 


. 3.36 inches \ 


6 circle . 


. 14.80 inches 


9 " 


• S-54 " \ Bull's-eye 


5 " 


. 19.68 " 


8 " 


. 8.00 " J 


4 " 


. 26.00 " 


7 " 


. 11.00 " 








Rest of target, 28 x i 


.8 inches. 





tion at the firing point, revolver in hand, the range 
officer gives the commands " Ready," " Fire." At 
the command " Ready," the competitor raises his 



The Pistol and Revolver 311 

pistol into the firing position, and begins to fire 
immediately after the command " Fire." The 
scores shot at 20 and 30 yd. must be completed 
within 1 1 sec, and the scores at 40 and 50 yd. 
within 12 sec. Gold, silver, and bronze medals 
are awarded to those making the highest scores. 

The official target of the United States Revolver 
Association, which is used in the annual cham- 
pionship matches and for record shooting, is the 
Standard American Target. This target is also 
used by nearly all the shooting clubs and organ- 
izations in the United States. For 50-yd. shooting 
the bull's-eye is 8 in. in diameter and contains the 
8, 9, and 10 rings. This target is well suited for 
target practice at this range. It has been used 
extensively since 1886. Ten shots, with one hun- 
dred for the possible, usually constitute a score. 
For gallery shooting at 20 yd. this target is reduced 
so that the bull's-eye is 2^^ in. in diameter, 
and for lo-yd. shooting i in. in diameter. In 
indoor shooting smokeless powder and reduced 
charges are always to be preferred. Where arti- 
ficial ventilation is provided, some shooting may 
be done with black powder ammunition, but the 
range soon fills with smoke, rendering the targets 
indistinct and the atmosphere unpleasant. Gal- 



312 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

lery practice is very valuable, as it enables one to 
preserve good form in the winter months, in 
localities where it is too cold to shoot with com- 
fort and pleasure out-of-doors. An arm of large 
caliber has a decided advantage over one of small 
caliber in short-range shooting, on account of the 
larger hole made by the bullet, and, for this reason, 
the large calibers are preferred for gallery shoot- 
ing. For distances less than 25 yd. not more than 
five shots should be fired on a paper or card- 
board target. In case a close group is made, the 
scoring will be much easier and more accurate 
than when ten shots are fired at a single target. 
The best grades of target arms, including all those 
illustrated in this chapter, are capable of making 
" possibles " or perfect scores on the standard 
American target, using regulation ammunition. 
To make high scores is therefore simply a ques- 
tion of skill on the part of the shooter. 

A great many other targets designed principally 
for rifle-shooting have been recommended at 
different times by well-known and scientific marks- 
men. Some of these targets possess much merit 
and have become popular in certain localities. 
It is unquestionably a mistake to introduce new 
targets in this manner as long as satisfactory 



The Pistol and Revolver 313 

targets are in general use, and on which all the 
important matches and records have been shot. 
The merit of a score on a new target cannot be 
judged by those unfamiliar with it, and frequently 
a highly meritorious score fails to receive the 
recognition it deserves on account of having been 
shot on a comparatively unknown target. 

In England and France the targets generally 
have smaller bull's-eyes than here. At Bisley, the 
shooting is principally at a distance of 20 yards 
on a bull's-eye 2 in. in diameter. At 50 yards 
the bull's-eye is 4 in. in diameter. The English 
targets have no circles of count within the 
bull's-eye. The regulation targets of the United 
Shooting Societies of France have bull's-eyes 5 
and 6 centimetres in diameter for the pistol and 
revolver respectively, at 20 metres, and 20 centi- 
metres in diameter for 50-metre shooting. All 
these targets have two or more circles of count 
within the bull's-eye. 

ANNUAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES OF THE UNITED STATES 
REVOLVER ASSOCIATION 

Regular or Outdoor Events 

Match A, Revolver Championship. — Open to everybody; distance, 50 
yd.; 50 shots on the Standard American target, 8-in. bull's-eye, 10 ring 
3.36 in. Arm, any revolver. Ammunition, any. The score must be com- 
pleted in one hour or less from the time of firing the first shot. Entrance 
fee, ^5 ; no reentries. 



314 Guns, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

Prizes: first, the championship silver cup, to be held until the next 
annual competition, and a gold medal ; second, a silver medal ; third, a 
bronze medal. A bronze medal will also be awarded to any competitor, 
not a prize winner, making a score of 425 or better. 

Match B, Pistol Championship. — Open to everybody ; distance, 50 
yd.; 50 shots on same target as match A. Arm, any pistol. Ammunition, 
any. The score must be completed in one hour or less from the time of 
firing the first shot. Entrance fee, ^5 ; no reentries. 

Prizes : first, the championship cup, to be held until the next annual 
competition, and a gold medal; second, a silver medal; third, a bronze 
medal. A bronze medal will also be awarded to any competitor, not a 
prize winner, making a score of 435 or better. 

Match C, Military Championship. — Open to everybody; distance, 25, 
50, and 75 yd.; five consecutive strings of five shots at each range on the 
same target as match A. Each string at each range must be shot within 
the time limit of 15 sec, taking time from the command "Fire." Mis- 
fires and shots lost on account of the arm becoming disabled while firing 
any string will be scored zero. If a shot is fired after the time limit has 
elapsed, the shot of highest count will be deducted from the score. No 
cleaning allowed. Arm, any military revolver, or any military magazine 
pistol. Ammunition, the full-charge service cartridge. The score must be 
begun at the shortest range, and must be completed on the same day. No 
sighting shots will be allowed after beginning the score. Entrance fee, 
^5 ; no reentries. 

Prizes : first, the championship trophy, to be held until the next annual 
competition, and a gold medal ; second, a silver medal ; third, a bronze 
medal. A bronze medal will also be awarded to any competitor, not a prize 
winner, making a score of 535 or better. 

Match D, Military Record Match. — Open to everybody; distance, 50 
yd.; five consecutive strings of five shots, under the same conditions as 
match C. Entrance fee, ^i ; entries unlimited. 

Prizes : first, a gold trophy, to be held until the next annual competition, 
the trophy to become the property of the competitor winning it three 
times ; second, a silver medal ; third, a bronze medal. A bronze medal 
will also be awarded to any competitor, not a prize winner, making a score 
of 190 or better. 

Indoor or Gallery Events^ 

Indoor Revolver Championship. — Open to everybody ; distance, 20 
yd.; 50 shots on the Standard American target reduced so that the 8 
1 These are conducted during the winter months. 



The Pistol and Revolver 315 

ring is 2| inches in diameter. Arm, any revolver. Ammunition, any suit- 
able smokeless gallery charge approved by the executive committee. The 
score must be completed in one hour or less from the time of firing the first 
shot. Entrance fee, ^5 ; no reentries. 

Prizes : first, a silver cup, to be held until the next annual competition, 
the cup to become the property of the competitor winning it three times ; 
second, a silver medal ; third, a bronze medal. A bronze medal will also 
be awarded to any competitor, not a prize winner, making a score of 425 
or better. 

Indoor Pistol Championship. — Open to everybody; distance, 20 yd, 
50 shots on the Standard American target reduced so the 8 ring is 2| 
in. in diameter. Arm, any pistol. Ammunition, any suitable smokeless 
gallery charge approved by the executive committee. The score must be 
completed in one hour or less from the time of firing the first shot. 
Entrance fee, ^5 ; no reentries. 

Prizes : first, a silver cup, to be held until the next annual competition, 
the cup to become the property of the competitor winning it three times ; 
second, a silver medal ; third, a bronze medal. A bronze medal will also 
be awarded to any competitor, not a prize winner, making a score of 435 
or better. 

RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE CHAMPIONSHIP 
MATCHES OF THE U. S. R. A. 

1. General Conditions. — Competitors must make themselves acquainted 
with the rules and regulations of the Association, as the plea of ignorance 
will receive no consideration. The rulings and decisions of the executive 
committee are final in all cases. These rules are for general application, 
but will not apply in cases where the special conditions of any match con- 
flict with them. 

2, Classification of Arms. — (a) Any revolver. A revolver of any 
caliber. Maximum length of barrel, including cylinder, 10 in. Minimum 
trigger pull, z\ lb. Sights may be adjustable, but they must be strictly 
open in front of the hammer, and not over 10 in. apart, 

{b) Any pistol. A pistol of any caliber. Maximum length of barrel, 
10 inches. Minimum trigger pull, 2 lb. Sights may be adjustable, but 
they must be strictly open in front of the hammer, and not over 10 inches 
apart. 

(<■) Military revolver or pistol. A revolver, or a magazine pistol, that 
has been adopted by any civilized government for the armament of its army 
or navy. Maximum weight, 2| lb. Maximum length of barrel, ']\ inches. 



3i6 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

Minimum trigger pull, 4 lb. J'ixed open sights. Rear sights of magazine 
pistols may be adjustable for elevation only. 

(a') Pocket revolver. A revolver with a maximum weight of 2 lb. 
Maximum length of barrel, 4 in. Minimum trigger pull, 4 lb. Sights 
and model must be such as not to hinder quick drawing of the weapon 
from the pocket of holster. 

3. Loading, Firing, Timijtg, and Cleaning. — In all revolver and pistol 
matches, the weapon must not be loaded until the competitor has taken 
his position at the firing point. The barrel must always be kept vertical 
or pointed toward the target. In case of an accidental discharge or of 
defective ammunition, if the bullet comes out of the barrel, it will be scored 
a shot. The timing in Matches C and D will be as follows : The competitor, 
standing at the firing point with the arm loaded, not cocked, and the barrel 
pointing downward in a direction not less than 45 degrees from the target, 
will signify to the scorer when he is ready to begin each string. The scorer, 
stop watch in hand, will then give the command " Fire," and exactly fifteen 
seconds later announce "Time." Misfires will not be scored except in 
Matches C and D. Competitors may clean weapons in Matches A and B, 
but no time allowance will be made for time spent in this way. All com- 
petitors will be required to finish their scores within the time limits specified, 
except in cases of accident, when the time may be extended at the option 
of the executive committee. Blowing through the barrel, to moisten it, 
will be considered cleaning. 

In revolver matches, the arm cannot be used as a single loader or loaded 
so as to use a limited number of chambers in the cylinder. The cylinder 
must be charged with the full number of rounds for which it is chambered, 
and these must be shot consecutively. If scores are shot in ten-shot 
strings, the cylinder shall be charged first with six rounds and then with four 
rounds. If the cyHnder only contains five chambers, then the ten-shot 
strings may be shot in two strings of five each. In Matches C and D, and 
in the indoor or gallery events, the arm shall in all cases be charged with 
five rounds, 

4. Position. — The position shall be standing, free from any support, 
the pistol or revolver held in one hand, with arm extended, so as to be free 
from the body, 

5. Arms. — Any revolver or any pistol which in the opinion of the 
executive committee complies with the conditions specified in Matches A 
and B will be allowed to compete in those events. Revolvers or magazine 
pistols that have been adopted by any government for the armament of its 
army or navy, or such as in the opinion of the executive committee are 



The Pistol and Revolver 317 

suitable for military service, and which comply with the conditions specified 
in matches C and D, will be allowed in those events. Among the arms 
which may be used in this match are the .38-cal. Smith & Wesson and 
Colt Military; .44 Smith & Wesson, Russian Model; .44 Colt New Service; 
.45 Smith & Wesson Scofield ; .45 Colt ; and the following magazine or 
automatic pistols: Colt, Mannlicher, Mauser, Luger, Mors. 

6. Sights. — In open sights, the notch of the rear sight must be as wide 
on top as at any part. Aperture or peep sights or any covered or shaded 
sights will not be allowed. The use of a notch for the front sight will not be 
permitted. Sights may be smoked or blackened if desired. Sights on 
military arms, if modified to suit individuals, must remain strictly open, 
strong and substantial, and suitable for military use, 

7. Trigger Pull. — The trigger pull as specified in the various events 
shall be determined by a test weight equal to the minimum pull applied at 
a point three-eighths of an inch from the end of the trigger. 

8. Ammunition. — In matches C and D, where full-charge ammunition 
is required, it may be the product of any reputable manufacturer. It must 
in all cases be brought to the firing point in unbroken boxes, with the label 
of the manufacturer intact. 

9. Targets. — The 200-yd. Standard American rifle target No. i (con- 
taining the 4 ring) with an 8-in. bull's-eye shall be used in all matches 
at 50 yd., and at 25 yd. and 75 yd. in match C. The same target reduced 
so that the bull's-eye or 8 ring is 2| in. in diameter, shall be used for all 
matches at 20 yards. 

10. Marking and Scoring. — In all matches new paper targets shall be 
furnished for each competitor. Not more than ten shots are to be fired on 
any target at 50 yd., and not more than five shots per target in matches 
C and D, and for all shooting at 20 yd. ; the shot holes in all cases to 
remain uncovered and left as shot. Bullets touching or within a line on 
the target are to be scored the count of that line. The eye alone shall 
determine whether a bullet touches a line or not. 

11. Ties. — Ties shall be decided as follows: (i) by the score at the 
longest distance ; (2) by the score at the next longest distance ; (3) by 
the fewest number of shots of lowest count ; (4) by firing five shots each 
under the same conditions as the match and these rules in regard to ties, 
until decided. 

12. Records. — The shooting for records shall, when practicable, be 
done on the grounds or in a gallery of a regularly organized shooting as- 
sociation or club, and in the presence of at least two witnesses, one of whom 
shall be an officer of the club. The foregoing rules and regulations, and 



3i8 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

the conditions governing the championship matches of the U. S. R. A., 
must in all cases be observed and followed. The record score shall begin 
with the first shot after the shooter has announced his intention to shoot 
for record ; only the first ten shots will apply to the ten-shot record ; the 
first twenty shots to the twenty-shot record; and so on to fifty or one hundred 
shots, as the shooter may desire. After finishing the record score, the targets 
shall be identified and signed by the witnesses as above designated. The 
witnesses shall also prepare and sign a certificate of prescribed form, which, 
with all targets, shall be forwarded to the U. S. R. A., addressed to the 
secretary-treasurer. If all the conditions, rules, and regulations have been 
complied with, the scoring correct, and if the score is higher than or equal 
to any previously made under the same conditions, it will be declared a 
new record. The score will then be entered as such in the record book 
of the association, and the shooter formally notified to that effect. 

13. Protests. — Any person who believes that an injustice has been 
done, or who dissents from the decision of any authorized executive officer 
of the association, may enter a protest on depositing $1 with the cashier 
or acting treasurer of the club or organization under whose auspices the 
matches are held. Such protest must be in writing, in duplicate, and must 
be made within twenty-four hours after the incident on which it is based ; 
one copy to be handed to the executive officer of the club or organization 
conducting the matches, and the other copy to be mailed to the secretary- 
treasurer of the U. S. R. A. All protests will be investigated and passed 
upon by the executive committee ; and, if sustained, the protest fee will be 
returned, otherwise it will be forfeited. 

The following records, made on the Standard American target, are 
recognized by the U. S. R. A. : — 

Pistol, 50 Yards 
100 shots. J. E. Gorman, May 26, 1901 . 
E. E. Patridge, March I, 1902 

50 shots. Thomas Anderton, April 4, 1903 

30 shots. E. E. Patridge, March 21, 1903 

20 shots. E. E. Patridge, March 21, 1903 

10 shots. C. H. Taylor, November 8, 1898 
Thos. Anderton, May 13, 1899 

Revolver, 50 Yards 

600 shots. F. E. Bennett, June 4-9, 1888 5093 

100 shots. C. S. Richmond, June i, 1901 918 

10 shots. W. C. Johnston, July 7, 1888 lOO 







y4^ 
942 






480 






287 






192 






100 






100 



The Pistol and Revolver 319 

Revolver, 20 Yards 

100 shots. W. E. Petty, March 15, 1901 908 

50 shots. William H. Luckett, June 11, 1903 .... 464 

10 shots. G. W. Waterhouse, March 22, 1901 .... 98 

Hints to Beginners 

Selection of Arms. — There is no single arm 
that can be used advantageously for all classes of 
shooting. It is therefore necessary in the first 
place to decide for what purpose the arm is to 
be used. A careful perusal of the text under 
" Arms " and " Ammunition," will be of assistance 
in reaching a decision. The next step is the se- 
lection of the arm. As already stated, the cheap, 
unreliable, and unsafe arms are to be carefully 
avoided. It is preferable to buy a second-hand 
arm of a reputable manufacturer, if in good con- 
dition, than a new one of inferior make. Second- 
hand arms frequently have defects that cannot be 
detected by the novice, and, if obliged to buy a 
second-hand arm, it is advisable to ask some ex- 
pert shot to assist in making the selection. The 
price of the best grades of pistols and revolvers 
is, fortunately, within the reach of almost every 
one, and, if at all possible, new arms should be 
purchased. 

In any case, whether a new or a second-hand 



320 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

arm is to be chosen, it is well to examine and 
handle all the different models of the best makers. 
The fit and feel of the arm are very important. 
Select an arm that feels comfortable, and which, 
when properly held, fits the hand so that the first 
joint of the trigger finger just touches the trigger 
when that part of the finger is bent at right angles 
to the barrel. 

The correct manner of holding the pistol or 
revolver is here shown, and illustrates how the 
hand should fit the arm. Note particularly the 
position of the trigger finger and the thumb. 
The trigger finger in this position acts directly 
backward in pressing the trigger, and the thumb 
assists materially in steadying the piece. If the 
piece is too large for the hand, the trigger finger 
will be more or less extended, and will pull side- 
wise to a greater or less degree, and thus increase 
the difificulty of fine shooting. The fit of the arm 
is much more important, and has a vastly greater 
effect upon the results than fine distinctions be- 
tween the merits of the different arms. Any of 
those named are excellent and are capable of shoot- 
ing much more accurately than they can possibly 
be held by the most expert shots. A man with a 
large hand will probably find the Remington pistol 



The Pistol and Revolver 321 

or the Colt New Service revolver best suited for 
him ; another with a hand of medium size will 
find the S. & W. pistol or the S. & W. Russian 
Model revolver most desirable ; while another still, 
with a small hand, may prefer the Stevens pistol 
or the .38-cal. military revolver, either the S. & W. 
or the Colt. 

If an arm is wanted for steady use, select the 
plain blued finish, and wood handles ; elaborate 
engraving and gold, silver, copper, or nickel fin- 
ished arms are handsome and pleasing, but, if 
much used, become burnt and discolored where 
the powder gases escape, and soon become un- 
sightly. A blued finish is also to be preferred 
when shooting in the sunlight. Most arms as 
offered on the market have hard rubber handles. 
These become smooth and slippery when the hand 
perspires, and are not as desirable as wood handles. 
A few expert shots prefer pearl handles. 

The trigger pull should have the smallest pos- 
sible travel and be smooth and positive. The 
smaller the travel of the hammer, the quicker will 
be the discharge after pulling the trigger. If the 
trigger does not pull smooth and " sweet," or be- 
comes " creepy " from wear, it should be corrected 
by a skilled gunsmith. While the rules allow a 



322 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

trigger pull of 2 lb. for the pistol and 2J lb. 
for the target revolver, many expert shots 
prefer to have their arm pull from ^ to i lb. 
more. The rules also allow 7^ and 8 in. bar- 
rels for the revolver. Most of the experienced 
shots prefer to have their revolvers balance near 
the trigger, and are of the opinion that the extra 
length of barrel above 6J in. does not offset 
the disadvantage of poorer balance. In the pistol, 
however, the length of barrel is invariably 10 
in. Accuracy is lost very rapidly as the length 
of the barrel is reduced below 5 in. 

For target-shooting, the .22-cal. pistols will 
be found admirably suited for beginners. The 
charge being light, there is less liability to 
" flinch," a fault easily and almost invariably ac- 
quired when the novice begins shooting with a 
heavy charge. The practice in aiming and pull- 
ing the trigger with these arms is excellent train- 
ing and a first-rate and valuable preliminary to 
the more difficult and practical work with the 
revolver. 

The double-action feature in a revolver is of 
very little practical value. Owing to the varying 
amount of resistance to the trigger in operating 
the mechanism, the aim is disturbed more than if 



The Pistol and Revolver 323 

the hammer is cocked with the thumb. Even in 
rapid-fire shooting better results are obtained with 
a double-action arm if used as a single action. 
It is also more difficult to make the trigger pull 
smooth and short in double-action mechanisms. 

Manipulation. — Most of the accidents with 
firearms are caused by carelessness and ignorance 
in manipulating them. The revolver and pistol, 
being much smaller, are more dangerous to han- 
dle than the rifle or the shotgun. An experi- 
enced pistol shot can easily be singled out by 
the extreme care and unostentation with which 
he handles his arms. 

On picking up an arm, or if one is handed to 
you, open the action at once and make sure it is 
not loaded. Always do this, even if it is your 
own arm and you are quite sure it was not loaded 
when you last put it away; some one, without 
any idea of the danger, may have loaded it in 
your absence. Cultivate and practise the habit 
of always holding the arm, whether loaded or un- 
loaded, so that it points in a direction where it 
would do no harm if it were to go off unexpect- 
edly. By observing these simple rules, serious 
accidents will be impossible. No one should be 
allowed to handle firearms in a shooting club or 



324 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

participate in any of the public matches until these 
rules have been thoroughly mastered. 

Position and Aiming. — If you know of a club 
or shooting organization to which one or more 
first-rate pistol and revolver shots belong, it is 
well to join it, if possible. Much more rapid prog- 
ress can be made by observation and by follow- 
ing the suggestions of experienced shots than if 
one is obliged to solve the various problems with- 
out such assistance or advice. In order to famil- 
iarize yourself with your arm, it is well to practise 
aiming and pulling the trigger before any actual 
shooting is attempted. By inserting an empty 
shell for the hammer to strike upon, the piece 
may be aimed and " snapped " without injury. 
The position you adopt is very important. Stand 
firmly on both feet, with the body perfectly bal- 
anced and turned at such an angle as is most 
comfortable when the arm is extended toward the 
target in aiming. Let the left arm assume any 
position that may be comfortable and natural. 
Select a small black spot with an extensive white 
background to sight at. A small black paster on 
a window-pane, with the sky for a background, is 
excellent for this purpose. When the aiming is 
correct, that is, when the sights are properly 




o; 


(15 




JZ 






■" 


* 






X! 




c 


Wl 










n 


0) 


c 


IX 


-C 


rt 



Pj-i o 




o 






The Pistol and Revolver 325 

aligned, their position with reference to the spot 
or bull's-eye should be as shown in Fig. 51. The 
top of the front sight should just make contact 
with the lower edge of the bull's-eye corresponding 
to the position of VI o'clock. It has been found 
by experience that it is much less fatiguing to 
lower the arm, holding the piece, to the target than 
to raise it, fully extended, up to the target. 

With the pistol or revolver in the right hand, 
cock the hammer with the thumb, making sure 
that the trigger finger is free from the trigger 
and resting against the forward inner surface of 
the trigger guard. In cocking the piece, have the 
barrel pointing upward. Then extend the arm 
upward and forward, so that when you assume 
your firing position the piece will point about 
twenty degrees above the bull's-eye. With your 
eyes fixed on the bull's-eye at VI o'clock, inhale 
enough air fully but comfortably to fill the lungs, 
and lower the piece gradually until the line of 
the sights comes a short distance below the bull's- 
eye. Now, holding your breath and steadying 
the piece as well as you possibly can, bring the 
line of the sights into the position shown in Fig. 
51. At the same time gradually increase the 
pressure on the trigger directly backward, so that 



326 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

when the sights are pointing at the bull's-eye the 
hammer will fall. Be careful not to pull the trig- 
ger with a jerk, but ease it off with a gentle 
squeeze, so as not to disturb the aim. Accustom 
yourself not to close the eye when the hammer 
falls, but note carefully where the line of the 
sights actually points at the instant that the ham- 
mer falls. You will, no doubt, find it almost im- 
possible to pull the trigger at the moment the 
sights are just right. The hammer will fall when 
the line of the sights may point a little too high 
or too low, or to one side or the other of the 
bull's-eye; but patient practice will correct this, 
and in time you will be able to let off the arm at 
the right moment. 

The pulling of the trigger is a very delicate 
operation ; it is, in fact, the most important detail 
to master — the secret of pistol and revolver 
shooting. If the trigger is pulled suddenly, in 
the usual way, at the instant when the sights ap- 
pear to be properly aligned, the aim is so seri- 
ously disturbed that a wild shot will result. To 
avoid this, the pressure on the trigger must 
always be steadily applied, and while the sights 
are in line with the bull's-eye. It is, of course, im- 
possible to hold the arm absolutely still, and aim 



The Pistol and Revolver 327 

steadily at one point while the pressure is being 
applied to the trigger; but, in aiming, the un- 
steadiness of the shooter will cause the line of 
the sights to point above the bull's-eye, then below 
it, to one side of it, and then to the other, back 
and forth and around it, as shown by the dotted 
lines in Fig. 52. Each time that the line of the 
sights passes over the bull's-eye the smallest pos- 
sible increment of additional pressure is succes- 
sively applied to the trigger until the piece is 
finally discharged at one of the moments that the 
sights are in correct alignment. Long and regu- 
lar practice alone will secure the necessary train- 
ing of the senses and muscles to act in sufficient 
harmony to enable one to pull the trigger in this 
way at the right moment for a long series of 
shots. A " fine sympathy " must be established 
between the hand, the eye, and the brain, render- 
ing them capable of instant cooperation. The 
consciousness of the voluntary concurrence of 
the mind and the muscular system constitutes 
the real charm of pistol and revolver shooting. 

After obtaining a fair idea of aiming, etc., 
watch carefully when the hammer falls, and note 
if it jars the piece and disturbs the aim. If not, 
you are holding the arm properly. If the aim is 



328 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

disturbed, you must grip the arm tighter or more 
loosely, or move your hand up or down on the 
handle, or otherwise change your method of hold- 
ing the piece until your " hold " is such that you 
can snap the hammer and the aim remain undis- 
turbed. This aiming drill is largely practised by 
expert shots indoors, when they do not have the 
opportunity to practise regularly out of doors. 

Target Practice. — If your first actual shooting 
is done at the range of a club, it is best to ask 
one of the members to coach you until you get 
accustomed to the rules, etc. A target will be as- 
signed to you, and you will repair to the firing 
point and load your arm. It is well to let your 
coach fire the first shot or two, to see if your 
piece is sighted approximately right. If so, you 
are ready to begin shooting. If the sights appear 
to be as in Fig. 5 1 at the moment of discharge, 
then the bullet should hit the centre of the bull's- 
eye. If, after several shots, you are convinced 
that the bullet does not strike where it should, 
the arm is not properly sighted for you. In ad- 
justing the sights, you will find it an advantage 
to remember a very simple rule : To correct the 
rear sight, move it in the same direction as you 
would the shots on the target to correct them; or 



The Pistol and Revolver 329 

move the front sight in the opposite direction. 
Most target arms have the front sight non-adjust- 
able, and the rear sight adjustable for both windage 
and elevation. A few arms have interchangeable 
or adjustable front sights for elevation. Move 
the sights a little at a time, according to the fore- 
going rules, until they are properly aligned. A 
few ten-shot scores should then be fired for 
record. As you become accustomed to the 
range, rules, etc., you will feel more at ease. 
This will inspire confidence, and your shooting 
will improve correspondingly. Do not have your 
sights too fine. Fine sights are much more 
straining on the eyes, and have no advantage 
over moderately coarse sights. The rear sights, 
as generally furnished, are purposely made with 
very small notches, so as to enable individuals to 
make them any desired size. It is well to have 
the trigger pull at least J of a pound greater than 
the minimum allowed by the rules. If much 
used, the pull sometimes wears lighter; and if 
there is little or no margin, you run the risk of 
having your arm disqualified when you wish to 
enter an important match. 

Never use other ammunition in your arm than 
that for which it is chambered. A number of 



330 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

accidents and much difficulty have resulted from 
using wrong ammunition. In the same caliber 
the actual diameter of the bullets frequently 
varies considerably, and a few shots, even if they 
should not prove dangerous, may lead the barrel, 
and thus cause much delay and annoyance. 
When a barrel is " leaded " from any cause it will 
become inaccurate. In such cases, particles of 
lead usually adhere to the inside of the barrel at 
or near the breech. A brass wire brush, of suit- 
able size to fit the barrel, will generally remove it. 
When this fails, the safest treatment is to cork 
up the opposite end of the barrel and fill it with 
mercury, letting the latter remain in the barrel 
until the lead is removed. 

Occasionally the powder is accidentally omitted 
in loading a cartridge. When the primer ex- 
plodes, the bullet may be driven partly through 
the barrel and remain in it. When this happens, 
whether from this cause or any other, always be 
careful to push the bullet out of the barrel before 
firing another shot. If the bullet is not removed, 
and another shot is fired, the barrel will be bulged 
and ruined. This may occur with a light gallery 
charge. 

When shooting the .22-cal. long rifle cartridge, 



The Pistol and Revolver 331 

there will be an occasional misfire. In with- 
drawing the cartridge the bullet will stick in the 
barrel and the powder spill into the action. 
To prevent this, hold the barrel vertically, with 
the muzzle up, and withdraw the shell carefully. 
Then remove the bullet in the barrel with a 
cleaning rod; or extract the bullet from a new 
cartridge, inserting the shell filled with powder 
into the chamber back of the bullet and fire it in 
the usual manner. Do not use BB caps in any 
pistol that you value. They are loaded with ful- 
minate of mercury and the bullets have no lubri- 
cation. These caps will ruin a barrel in a very 
short time. The .22-cal. conical ball caps con- 
tain powder, and the bullets are lubricated, making 
this a much better cartridge ; but it is best to 
adhere to the regular .22 ammunition for which 
the arm is chambered. 

In practising rapid-fire shooting, great care is 
necessary in order to prevent accidents, especially 
in the case of the automatic pistols, which remain 
cocked and ready to pull the trigger after each 
shot. In shooting within a time limit, practise to 
use the entire period allowed and endeavor to do 
the best possible work, getting in the last shot 
just before the end of the period. 



332 Gims, Ammunition, and Tackle 

It is also necessary to exercise extreme care in 
practising with the pocket revolver. Some per- 
sons delight in practising quick drawing from the 
pocket and firing one or more shots. This is 
dangerous work for the novice to attempt. Most 
of the pocket weapons are double action. If the 
finger gets into the trigger guard and the arm 
catches in the pocket when drawing, a premature 
discharge is likely to result, which is always un- 
pleasant and sometimes disastrous. Practice in 
drawing the revolver from the pocket or holster 
should always be begun with the arm unloaded. 
Only after a fair degree of skill is acquired should 
actual shooting be attempted. For quick drawing 
from the pocket the only double-action revolvers 
that are fairly safe to handle are the S. & W. 
Safety Hammerless, and the Colt " Double Ac- 
tion," which has a safety notch for the hammer to 
rest on. 

Drawing a revolver from a holster is easier and 
much less dangerous than drawing it from the 
pocket. Larger and more practical arms are gen- 
erally carried in holsters, and such arms should be 
single action in all cases. In practising with a 
holster weapon, fasten the holster on the belt, and 
anchor the belt so that the holster will always be 



The Pistol and Revolver 333 

at the same relative position. The holster should 
be cut out so that the forefinger can be placed on 
the trigger in drawing. Always carry a loaded 
arm with the hammer resting on an empty cham- 
ber or between two cartridges. In the woods, or 
in localities where such shooting would not be 
likely to do any harm, it is good practice to shoot 
at a block of wood drifting down in the current 
of a swift-flowing stream, at a block of wood or a 
tin can swinging like a pendulum, from horseback 
at stationary and moving objects, and from a 
moving boat at similar objects. Such practice is 
largely indulged in by cowboys, ranchmen, and 
others in the western part of the United States. 
Many of the published reports of wonderful shoot- 
ing of this character are gross exaggerations. 
Such shooting is generally rapid-fire work with 
heavy charges at extremely short range, and while 
it is to be commended as being extremely practi- 
cal, the actual performances do not compare fa- 
vorably with similar work done by many amateur 
shots. 

In shooting a long series of shots with black 
powder ammunition, when the rules allow it, the 
barrel should be cleaned and examined every six 
or ten shots, depending upon the clean-shooting 



334 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

qualities of the ammunition used. It is well to 
examine the shells, also, and note if the primers 
have been struck in the centre. If not, then 
some of the mechanism is out of line, and the 
parts likely to have caused the trouble must be 
cleaned. 

After securing good, reliable arms, stick to 
them. Much time and progress is frequently lost 
by buying and trying different arms, ammunition, 
etc. If, in any of your shooting, you should get 
results that are peculiar and unsatisfactory, make 
it your business to find out the cause of the diffi- 
culty, and remedy it as soon as possible. " Blazing 
away " a large quantity of ammunition carelessly 
and recklessly is absolutely valueless as prac- 
tice, and is a waste of time. Give your whole 
attention to your work, and try your very best to 
place every shot in the centre of the bull's-eye. It 
is important to keep a full, detailed record of all 
your shooting, for comparison, study, etc. A suit- 
able book should be provided for this purpose. 
Do not fall into the habit of preserving only a 
few of the best scores ; but make it a rule to keep 
a record of every shot, and figure out the average 
of each day's work. The more painstaking and 
systematic you are, the more rapid will be your 



The Pistol and Revolver 335 

progress. By careful, intelligent work, it is pos- 
sible to become a fair shot in three or four months, 
and a first-rate shot in a year. 

After a number of good shots have been devel- 
oped in any club, there is generally a desire to 
measure skill with the members of another club. 
This leads to friendly matches, which are usually 
very enjoyable and instructive. Shooting in a 
match places a man under a certain strain which 
affects individuals quite differently ; some become 
nervous and shoot poorly when the best work is 
expected of them, while others are braced up by 
the occasion and shoot brilliantly. 

Cleaning and Care of Anns. — To maintain 
the highest efficiency in an arm, it is necessary 
to keep it in perfect order. The working parts 
must be kept clean and oiled, and the barrel 
should receive special attention and care. The 
residue of some powders is less injurious than 
that of others, but the arm should in all cases be 
cleaned and oiled immediately after it has been 
used. The cleaning should be very thorough. 
Heavy new cotton flannel is excellent for this 
purpose. It should be perfectly dry. Much of 
the fouling will rub off without moisture, but if 
moisture is necessary to soften the fouling in 



33^ Guns, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

places, use a thin oil. Never use water, kerosene, 
benzine, or similar fluids. For certain kinds of 
smokeless powders, cleaning fluids have beeh pre- 
pared that give good results. Be careful to use 
the special fluid that is adapted to the particular 
powder used, as the wrong fluid may do harm. 
For cleaning the inside of a barrel a wooden rod 
is best. It should have a knob on the end of 
such size that one or two thicknesses of the cotton 
flannel around it will fit the bore snug and tight. 
Square patches of suitable size may then be cut 
in quantities and used as required. Clean from 
the breech end of the barrel whenever possible. 
The slightest burr or injury at the muzzle will 
spoil the accuracy of an otherwise good barrel. 
Particular care should be exercised, especially if a 
steel rod with a slot is used, to prevent the wad 
from " jamming " in the barrel. Continue clean- 
ing the inside of the barrel until tight-fitting 
patches, when withdrawn, show no discoloration, 
and the barrel is warm from the friction of the 
cleaning. Then saturate a fresh patch with good 
oil and pass it through the barrel several times, 
making sure that the entire surface of the grooves 
has been thoroughly coated with oil. After the 
cylinder and other parts are cleaned, they should 



The Pistol and Revolver 337 

also be oiled. A good oil for cleaning and pre- 
venting rust is " Three in One," or refined sperm 
oil. Plenty of oil should be kept on the circle of 
teeth in which the hand engages in revolving the 
cylinder. If smokeless ammunition is used, the oil 
should be removed from the interior of the bar- 
rel and the chambers of the cylinder, a day or two 
after the first cleaning, and fresh oil applied. 

In warm weather, when the air is humid, arms 
rust very quickly. If they are not kept in an air- 
tight compartment, they should be inspected, and, 
if necessary, oiled every few days. Under ordi- 
nary conditions, a thorough cleaning and oiling 
will preserve the arm in good condition for a 
month. If it is desired to store the arms, or pro- 
tect them for long periods of time, the interior 
surfaces of the frame, and all the mechanism, 
should be carefully cleaned and oiled, and then 
the entire space within the frame filled solid with 
a non-liquid grease, like the Winchester "gun 
grease." After cleaning the barrel and cylinder, 
the bore and chambers in the cylinder should 
also be filled solid with the grease. This treat- 
ment excludes the air, and absolutely prevents 
oxidation. The exterior should be oiled, and then 
coated heavily with "gun grease." Place the arm 



338 Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 

in a dry woollen cloth, or flannel cover, and wrap 
it up in a double thickness of new manila paper 
of the weight of ordinary writing paper. Repeat 
this, wrapping twice more, each wrapping inde- 
pendent of the other. Then lay the arm in a dry 
place, where the temperature will always be uni- 
form, and not so warm as to melt the grease. An 
arm protected in this way will remain in good 
condition for a period of two years. 

Reloading Ammunition 
The factory-loaded ammunition for pistols and 
revolvers is so excellent that little is to be gained 
by hand loading. It is sometimes desirable, how- 
ever, to use special loads that are not furnished 
by the factories, and such ammunition must be 
loaded by hand. Then, too, many persons prefer 
to reload ammunition for economical reasons. 
In order to do this successfully, considerable ex- 
perience and skill are necessary. The first attempts 
at reloading are invariably unsatisfactory and dis- 
appointing, and sometimes result disastrously. 
Extreme care and close attention to details are 
absolutely essential, especially if smokeless pow- 
ders are used. It is much the safest and best 
plan for those who are unfamiliar with reloading 



The Pistol and Revolver 339 

to observe and study the methods used by skilled 
persons, and, if possible, have their first work 
supervised by an expert. 

Primers. — The primers are made of copper 
and brass and are adapted for either black or 
smokeless powders. The primers for pistol and 
revolver cartridges are made more sensitive than 
for rifle cartridges. If, by mistake, rifle-cartridge 
primers are used, there are likely to be many mis- 
fires. The original pasteboard boxes in which 
the cartridges or shells are purchased invariably 
have labels designating the kind of primer that 
should be used in reloading them. The quality 
of the primers affects the results to a much greater 
degree than most persons imagine, especially in 
reduced or gallery charges. In handling or in 
transportation the fulminate is sometimes loosened, 
dropping out of some of the primers and leaving 
them considerably weaker than the rest. On 
opening a new box, empty it carefully, and if any 
appreciable quantity of loose fulminate is found, 
the primers should not be used for ammunition 
intended for fine shooting. 

Shells. — The shells are generally made of brass 
with a solid head containing a pocket for a primer. 
There is considerable variation in the thickness 



340 Gtms, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

of the metal from which shells are made by the 
various manufacturers. Since the outside dimen- 
sions must be the same in order to fit the chamber, 
it follows that the inside diameter of the shells will 
vary. When the shell is to be crimped a slight 
difference in the size is unimportant, but for fine 
target work and in reduced charges it is preferable 
not to crimp the shell. In the latter case the bullet 
must fit sufhciently tight so that it will not be 
dislodged by the recoil of the arm. The size of 
the bore, when adapted to the same cartridge, 
varies a trifle, also, with different manufacturers. 
With the slight difference in the size of the shells 
it is therefore generally possible to select a make 
of shell the size of which will be just right to hold 
snugly in position by friction a bullet that exactly 
fits the bore of the arm. These refinements in 
the fit of the bullet and shell are important 
in securing good results with reduced loads. In 
pistol and revolver shooting, the shells may be re- 
loaded many times with smokeless powders. The 
small charge and the consequent reduced pressure 
do not seem to render the shells brittle and un- 
suitable for reloading, as is the case with the 
shells of many of the high-pressure rifle cartridges. 
Bullets. — In the large ammunition factories 



The Pistol and Revolver 341 

the bullets are made by the swaging process with 
heavy machinery. They are, in consequence, very 
uniform in density and size. For this reason, 
when the ammunition is intended for fine shooting, 
factory bullets should be used. They are packed 
in boxes of twenty-five and fifty and are lubricated 
ready for use. While very few persons are able to 
mould bullets as good as those factory-made, 
when bullets of a particular shape, weight, or tem- 
per are desired, they must be moulded. The 
Ideal Manufacturing Company's dipper and melt- 
ing pot^ are useful for this purpose. The best 
quality of lead in bars or pigs should be used. 
If the bullets are to be hardened, "block tin," 
which may be had at any hardware store, is al- 
loyed with the lead. Weigh the proper quantity 
of each metal to give the desired proportions. 
Melt the lead in the pot over a steady fire and 
then add the tin. After both are melted immerse 
the dipper and allow it to acquire the temperature 
of the melted lead. Then fill the dipper and, 
with the nozzle horizontal, raise it two or three 
inches above the surface of the lead in the pot. 

^ The Ideal Manufacturing Company of New Haven, Conn., publishes a 
handbook containing full information in regard to moulding bullets, re- 
loading ammunition, tables, and other useful information relating to 
shooting. 



342 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

With the mould in the other hand, turn it side- 
wise and bring the pouring hole of the mould to 
the nozzle of the dipper. Then, with the mould 
and dipper in contact, tilt or turn both in this 
position until the dipper is over the mould and the 
nozzle vertical as shown. 

The weight or pressure of the lead in the 
dipper is thus utilized to force the lead into and 




Fig. 53. — Moulding Bullets. 

completely fill the corners of the mould. It will be 
necessary to mould forty or fifty bullets before the 
mould acquires the proper temperature and casts 
first-class bullets. All imperfect bullets should be 
thrown back into the melting-pot. Experience 
has shown that the best results are obtained when 
the lead and mould are such a temperature that 
two or three seconds elapse before the lead solidi- 



The Pistol and Revolver 343 

fies in the pouring hole after the nozzle has been 
removed from it. Do not allow the lead to get 
red-hot, as it oxidizes very rapidly and more dross 
forms on its surface at that temperature. The 
dross should be skimmed off and not allowed to 
collect in the dipper. A new mould will not cast 
perfect bullets until the surfaces in contact with 
the lead are free from oil and have become oxi- 
dized, assuming a deep blue color. Provide a soft 
surface for the bullets to fall upon after releasing 
them from the mould, as they are easily deformed 
while hot. The sliding top or " cut-off " should 
be operated by pressing down the lever end on a 
board or table, or striking the lever with a small 
wooden mallet. The mould is then opened, and 
the bullet drops out. If the bullet sticks in the 
mould, strike the empty half of the mould on the 
outside, directing the blow toward the bullet. 
This will jar the bullet out of the mould without 
difficulty. Never strike the mould with a hammer 
or any hard substance, and never attempt to pry a 
bullet out of the mould or touch the interior 
surface with anything that will mar it. The least 
indentation of the sharp edges of the mould will 
cause the bullets to stick and make them imper- 
fect. After using, oil the interior and exterior 



344 Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 

surfaces and joints while warm, wrap in a dry 
cloth, and keep in a dry place where it will not 
rust. The safest way is to fill the inside of the 
mould solid with " gun grease " after it has 
cooled. 

The fit of the bullets is very important. 
Nearly all the bullets for revolver cartridges have 
been designed to be used with black powder. 
Many of them are slightly under size and have 
concave bases which upset sufficiently, on the 
ignition of the regulation powder charge, to fill 
the grooves of the barrel. Reduced charges of 
black powder, and smokeless powders, even in full 
charges, seldom upset the bases of these bullets, 
and the powder gas escapes around the sides of 
the bullet, which is known as "gas cutting." 
This is fatal to accuracy. For smokeless powders 
and reduced loads the concave cavity at the base 
of the bullet must be large enough to reduce the 
thickness of the outer rim of the bullet and 
weaken it so it will be expanded sufficiently by the 
powder to fill the grooves of the barrel ; or the 
diameter of the bullet should be increased so as 
to produce the same effect. A simple test to 
determine the fit of the bullet is to force it into 
a clean barrel, and then hold the barrel in the 



The Pistol and Revolver 345 

direction of a window or bright light. If light 
can be seen in any of the grooves around the 
bullet, it is too small for smokeless powder. The 
remedy is to have the bullet mould reamed out 
and enlarged so the bullets will be the proper size. 
To determine the actual diameter of the bore of 
a pistol or revolver, oil the inside of the barrel 
liberally and then force a bullet into it a couple 
of inches. With a short wooden cleaning rod, 
hold the bullet in that position while you drive 
against it with another rod from the opposite 
direction, swaging it so as to fill the barrel. This 
must be done gently and carefully so as not to 
strain or injure the barrel. The bullet is then 
driven out and carefully measured with a microm- 
eter gauge. Many who mould their own bullets 
prefer to order the mould to cast the bullets the 
exact size to fit the barrel ; while others prefer to 
have the mould cast the bullet one or two thou- 
sandths of an inch too large, and then pass them 
through a sizing tool, reducing them to the 
correct size. The latter method insures absolute 
uniformity. For smokeless powders the bullets 
are generally cast a little harder than for black 
powder, the proportions being from 20 to i, to 12 
to I, of lead and tin respectively. To secure 



346 Gtms, Ammimition, and Tackle 

good results, the bullets should not vary more 
than 2W ^^ weight. 

The next operation after moulding the bullets 
is to lubricate them. A good lubricant may be 
prepared by melting together i^ lb. of Japan 
wax, I lb. of mutton tallow, and i lb. of vaseline. 
The bullets should be set in a shallow pan, bases 
down, and with a small space separating them. 
The lubricant can then be poured around them 
until it rises high enough to fill the top cannelure. 
After cooling, the bullets are cut out of the 
lubricant by forcing them into the mouth of a 
specially prepared shell with the top or head cut 
off. Each bullet is picked up in this way and 
then pushed out with a round stick. Any lubri- 
cant on the base of the bullet should be removed 
with a cloth before loading. An excellent 
machine for lubricating bullets is made by the 
Ideal Manufacturing Company. The machine 
sizes and lubricates the bullet at one operation. 
It is rapid, clean, and performs the work perfectly. 

Powders. — American powder manufacturers 
have no uniform practice in regard to designating 
the different grades of powder, sizes of grains, 
etc. The powders that give the best results 
under certain conditions must therefore be classi- 



The Pistol and Revolver 347 

fied. The following black powders are best suited 
for ammunition in which the charge is ten to 
twenty grains: — 

American Powder Mills Rifle Cartridge No. 4. 

Hazard Powder Company's " Kentucky Rifle 
F F G." 

E. I. Dupont de Nemours & Company's "Du- 
pont Rifle F F G." 

Laflin & Rand Powder Company's " Orange 
Rifle Extra F F G." 

King Powder Company's " Semi-smokeless 
F F G." 

When the charge is less than ten grains in 
weight, one size finer grain of the above powders 
should be used ; and for charges heavier than 
twenty grains, one size coarser grain will give the 
best results. 

For reduced or gallery charges, the high-grade 
quick-burning shotgun powders are sometimes 
used, such as " Hazard's Electric," " Dupont's 
Diamond Grain," etc. These powders should not 
be used in full charges, and if compressed in the 
shell will give very irregular shooting. 

Smokeless powder differs from black not only 
in composition, but also in the phenomena that 
attend combustion. Special conditions are there- 



348 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

fore created which have an important bearing on 
the results. Smokeless powders are divided into 
two general classes, designated as " bulk " and 
"dense," the former having approximately the 
same strength as an equal bulk of black powder, 
while the same quantity by bulk of the latter may 
have from five to ten times the strength of 
black powder. The bulk powders may be used 
very much the same as black powder, except that 
they should never be compressed. No air space 
is required between the powder and the bullet. 
Dupont's Smokeless Rifle Powder No. 2 and 
Hazard's Smokeless Rifle Powder No. 2 are good 
examples of the bulk powders. 

The dense powders, such as Laflin & Rand 
Smokeless, Walsrode, Ballastite, and others, on 
account of their concentrated form, must be ma- 
nipulated with great care and precision. The same 
quantity by bulk as black powder of any of these 
would in many cases cause disaster. Special 
shells with an annular crease, which only admits 
the bullet a certain distance into the mouth of 
the shell, and providing an air space, must in all 
cases be used with these powders. Some varie- 
ties of smokeless powders, like Walsrode, require 
a certain amount of confinement in order to secure 



The Pistol and Revolver 349 

complete combustion, and do not give good results 
unless the shell is crimped securely to the bullet. 
A table giving the proper charges is supplied by 
all the manufacturers of smokeless powders, suit- 
able for revolver and pistol shooting. These 
charges should in no case be increased. If it is 
desired to adapt a smokeless charge to a special 
bullet, which gives good results with black pow- 
der, the approximate equivalent in smokeless can 
easily be calculated from the powder company's 
table of charges. If the calculated charge does 
not give good results, compare the penetration of 
the smokeless charge with the black powder 
charge, and modify the former until it gives ap- 
proximately the same penetration as the latter. 
If this does not correct the difficulty, the fit of the 
bullet should be investigated, and possibly it may 
have to be increased in size slightly and hardened 
before the best results will be obtained. 

No attempt should be made to secure higher 
velocities or greater penetration with the ordinary 
lead bullet than is obtained with black powder. 
Such results can only be produced with hard 
alloy or jacketed bullets, special rifling, etc., and 
in arms designed to withstand the severe condi- 
tions incident to such augmented effects. Exces- 



350 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

sive charges in regulation arms, besides being 
extremely dangerous, are likely to cause the bullet 
to strip the rifling and lead the barrel. 

Reloading. — Suitable tools for reloading are 
furnished by the Ideal Manufacturing Company, 
Smith & Wesson, and the Winchester Repeating 
Arms Company. These usually consist of one or 
more combination tools, with which the various 
operations of reloading may be performed with 
rapidity and precision. In reloading ammunition 
the one thing to be borne in mind above all else is 
uniformity. No matter how excellent may be the 
quality of the powder, or how perfect the bullets, if 
there is any variation in quantity, size, etc., the 
results will surely be irregular and disappointing. 
The bullets should be of the same diameter and 
weight, the mouth of the shells of uniform size, the 
powder accurately measured, and all the details 
in the operation of loading each shell should be 
as nearly identical as it is possible to make them. 
, The primers should be extracted from the 
shells as soon as practicable after firing. The 
shells should then be immersed in hot soap- 
suds and stirred around briskly until thoroughly 
washed. If it is desired to brighten them, or to 
remove corrosion, add one tablespoon of sulphuric 



The Pistol and Revolver 35 1 

acid to each quart of suds. Rinse the shells in 
two clean, boiling waters, by agitating them as 
before, and then dry them by exposure to sunlight 
or mild heat. Intense heat will draw the temper 
of the shells and ruin them. When the shells 
are perfectly dry, insert a stiff bristle brush in 
each and loosen any foreign matter that may 
adhere to them. Remove this by inverting the 
shell and tapping it. The sooner the shells are 
cleaned after firing, the less will be the corrosion 
and the easier it will be to remove the residue of 
the powder. The life of the shells will also be 
greatly prolonged if properly and promptly cared 
for. If the shells were originally crimped, they 
will have to be opened with the tool so as to 
admit the bullet without abrading its surface. 
The primers may now be replaced. In doing 
this, be sure to seat them firmly on the bottom of 
the socket and below the surface of the head of 
the shell. This will prevent misfires and prema- 
ture explosions. 

The measuring of the powder charge is the 
most important detail in reloading ammunition. 
There are several devices to measure black pow- 
der that are convenient and accurate. Those 
furnished by the Ideal Manufacturing Company 



352 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

and H. M. Pope are the best. The usual method 
is to measure the powder with a " charge cup " 
that is suppHed with the reloading tools. A 
quantity of powder should be poured from the 
can into a small box, and the charge cup dipped 
into it and filled. With a lead-pencil, tap the cup 
lightly two or three times on the side to settle the 
powder uniformly. If the powder settles below 
the top of the cup, dip it into the powder again 
and fill it, being careful not to tilt the cup so as 
to disturb the powder already in it. Strike off 
the surplus powder, level with the top of the cup, 
and pour it into the shell. By measuring the 
powder in this way, and verifying it by weighing 
each charge in a delicate balance, a high degree 
of skill is acquired in a short time. Ordinary 
revolver charges should not vary more than J of 
a grain in weight. The charge cup method is pre- 
ferred in measuring smokeless powders, as some 
varieties, being coarse-grained and light in weight, 
are liable to form large voids. Such voids are in- 
variably corrected when the charge cup is tapped 
and the powder settles. 

After the desired quantity of shells has been 
primed and charged with powder, the bullets, 
properly lubricated, are started into the shells by 



The Pistol and Revolver 353 

hand, and then one by one the cartridges are 
placed in the reloading tool, which seats the bullet 
and crimps the shell. 

In reduced charges, when the bullet is seated 
below the mouth of the shell, the tool should be 
adjusted so as not to crimp the shell. The black 
powder gallery loads as given under " Ammuni- 
tion " are entirely satisfactory, and are fairly accu- 
rate up to distances of 20 yd. Fired from a 6^ 
in. barrel, they will generally shoot within a i-|-in. 
circle at that distance. In loading cartridges in 
which the shells are not crimped on the bullets, 
it is very important that both the shells and bul- 
lets should be absolutely uniform in size, so that 
the fit of the bullet in the shells will be the same 
in all cases. By reloading some of the shells 
oftener than others, or with different charges, the 
expansion of the shells will vary, and the bullets 
will fit more or less tightly. Such ammunition, 
when fired, will vary in elevation. It is well to 
begin with new shells, using the same load in 
them and reloading them the same number of 
times. Even with the same charge and under 
apparently identical conditions, a few of the shells 
will expand differently. This variation will, how- 
ever, be readily discovered in seating the bullets 

2A 



354 Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 

with the tool. Cartridges in which the bullets 
seat with greater or less effort than the average, 
should be carefully separated from the rest and 
not used in important matches or when fine 
shooting is required. 

In reloading ammunition with round bullets, 
the neck of the bullet should be down, facing the 
powder. The bullets should be about ywqq ^^ 
an inch larger in diameter than the grooves of the 
barrel, so that when seated in the shells they 
deform slightly on the circle of contact. This 
produces a narrow cylindrical surface around the 
bullet, affording a better bearing on the barrel 
and greatly increasing the accuracy. It also 
insures the tight fitting of the bullet, preventing 
it from being displaced by the recoil. If round 
bullets fit loosely in the shell or barrel, or if there 
is the slightest imperfection in the bullet where it 
comes in contact with the shell, "gas cutting" 
will result, and hot lubricant is liable to pass by 
the bullet into the powder charge. In either case 
the accuracy is destroyed. 

When round bullets are used, the lubrication is 
applied after they have been seated in the shell. 
This can best be done with a small brush. The 
brush is dipped into melted lubricant and then 



The Pistol and Revolver 355 

passed around the bullet where it is in contact 
with the shell. Too much lubricant is undesir- 
able. At least two-thirds of the surface of the 
bullet should project above the lubricant. By 
keeping the lubricant at a constant temperature, 
the quantity adhering to the brush will be the 
same, and the result uniform. 



THE ARTIFICIAL FLY 

FOR TROUT, SALMON. AND BASS 

ITS THEORY, MAKING, AND USE 

By John Harrington Keene 



THE ARTIFICIAL FLY 

The Theory of the Trout Fly 

The artificial fly is per se palpably the " coun- 
terfeit presentment " of the natural insect or fly. 
Conceding that the most perfect " artificial " is 
only an attempt at an exact imitation, the ques- 
tion arises, How far has the attempt succeeded ? 

In reply to this question we must first consider 
the position of the schools of the fly-makers. 
These formerly consisted — so late as twenty-five 
years ago, when Stewart and Pennell led them in 
England — of two prime followings, namely (i), 
the formalists, and (2) the colorists. At the same 
time there existed a third compromise party of 
mugwumps, which combined the two schools and 
eliminated the errors of each by the test of expe- 
rience ; and being then in the minority, they have 
now reached the majority, according to the inevi- 
table laws of party history. But whether the 
" colorist-formalist " school of fly-tying has quite 

359 



360 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

succeeded or not in its theoretic professions will 
appear in the course of this chapter. On the 
face of it the truth would appear to be that the 
greater number of the many patterns now extant 
and in use as " Standard," " Fancy," and " Exact 
Imitation," et hoc genus, are, as a whole, of more 
aesthetic than practical use to the outdoor fly- 
fisherman. 

The position of the "formalists" has been thus 
defined by Mr. Pennell: Trout take artificial flies 
only because they in some sort resemble the nat- 
ural flies. If this be so, and if color is the only 
point of importance, why does not the " colorist " 
fish with a bunch of feathers tied on the hook 
promiscuously } Why adhere to the form of the 
natural fly at all } Evidently because it is found 
as a matter of fact that such a bunch of feathers 
will not kill — in other words, the fish do not take 
the artificial for the natural insect. If this be so, 
it follows that the more minutely the artificial 
imitates the natural fiy, the better it will kill, and, 
by a legitimate deduction, that the imitation of 
the fly on the water at any given time is that 
which the fish will take best. 

This is briefly the " formalist " declaration, and 
it is the creed which is held by most trout fly- 



The Artijicial Fly 361 

fishermen who are angler-naturalists, the world 
over. 

But the " colorists " make reply in somewhat 
this way: Your theory supposes that the trout 
are better entomologists than the angler, or even 
the most skilled naturalists, and that they can dis- 
criminate between the hundreds of species of flies 
which frequent every river and brook during the 
season; and then you draw and work your flies 
up and against the stream in a way no insect 
ever followed, and the only thing, therefore, that 
the fish truly can do, is to tell the fly by its color. 
We therefore regard form as of comparative in- 
significance, and color as the first essential in 
every fly. 

Now, both these theories are held to-day by 
thinking trout-anglers of experience, and I have 
met many of the most successful of them who 
stoutly maintained, out of their own practice, either 
one or the other lines of thought and method. 

The truth, however, lies in a combination of 
both the " formalist " and " colorist " theories. 
There are certain axioms all must admit. Amongst 
the most important are the following : — 

(i) The trout certainly take the artificial for 
the natural fly. 



364 Guns, AmmimiHon, and Tackle 

of 292 different trout, salmon, and bass flies ; and 
of this number (issued as an authoritative list of 
standard patterns) there are just one hundred flies 
in which scarlet (ibis feathers, dyed swan, or silk) 
forms an illuminating part in the make-up. In 
seventeen, bright blue feathers or silk predom- 
inates, and in thirty-eight yellow in wing or 
hackle is the prevailing note. This leaves 137 
patterns of mixed and dull-toned flies, and includes 
the fifteen exact imitations of the insect life of the 
EnMish river Itchen, which have no simulacra in 
America. There are also twelve standard salmon 
flies in this series, and these and the Itchen flies 
should be subtracted as being out of the category 
of American standards. Our calculation, there- 
fore, gives only no out of 292 patterns which by 
any stretch of the imagination could represent 
flies of the natural color. 

It is evident to the most careless observer of 
nature that there are practically no scarlet, or 
bright blue, and only a few light yellow flies to 
be found in a state of nature. The yellow may- 
fly is distinctly the only yellow fly I know of; and 
it is quite likely that there are a hundred species 
of the actual insects on the ordinary stream which 
could be represented by the various, tints of black, 



The Artificial Fly 365 

white, brown, dun, yellow, gray, and combinations 
arising from shadings of the warmer and duller 
colors. The glaring riant reds, blues, and yellows 
are in the actual insect conspicuous by their 
absence. 

It is not denied that these gorgeous creations 
of silk, tinsel, and feather have caught fish, nor that 
they will do so again ; but the contention is that 
they are founded on no plan and are the produc- 
tion of " fancy " or imagination, — hence the terms 
"Marston's Fancy," "Flight's Fancy," "Wick- 
ham's Fancy," etc. If in their place a full sup- 
ply of close imitations were used, a surer result 
could not fail to be attained, and the art of fly- 
fishing would in this country attain in due course 
to the refinement and certainty of the dry and wet 
fly-angling of the English chalk and mountain 
streams. 

It is difificult to determine to what actual extent 
the old English patterns and those which have 
been copied from actual American insects are 
used in preference to " Fancy " flies ; but for the 
purposes of this chapter I have had access to the 
records of one fly-tier, who with his wife and no 
other help has, during the winter months of the 
last ten years, tied some seventy-two thousand, 



366 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

or five hundred gross, of trout, bass, and sal- 
mon flies, — mostly trout flies. Of these quite 
two-thirds have been patterns of flies of the more 
subdued colors and small sizes, with close imi- 
tations in body, setae, wings, and legs of the 
actual fly. It is evident from this fact that, 
in certain quarters at least, a healthy opinion as 
to the right kind of lure has obtained. The flies 
in question were distributed by a firm of well- 
known western dealers in sporting goods. 

There are two kinds of artificial flies of the 
"color and form" theory of fly-making: (i) the 
fly constructed for " wet " or " live" fly-fishing, and 
(2) that specially made for the " floating " or 
"dry " fly-fishing. 

(i) The fly for the wet fishing is that almost 
exclusively in use in this country. It is made 
on the ordinary plan, with much hackle or 
legs, and in some cases — as with the palmers 
— the legs are wound up the entire body. This 
abundance of fibre is for the purpose of securing 
a vivid appearance of life as the fly sinks slightly 
below the surface of the water and the currents 
bend and agitate the hackle aided by the tremu- 
lous motion imparted by the angler through the 
rod and line. This movement gives life to the 



The Artificial Fly 367 

bait, and hence the term usually applied to this 
form of fishing. All rapid rivers or streams are 
best fished with this fly ; and as most of our Amer- 
ican rivers have their rapids, it is obvious why 
this has been the accepted method from time im- 
memorial. The (2) floating or live fly is usually 
made with proportionately large wings of single 
feathers turned the concave side out, or of two 
pairs of quill-feather slips, both of which devices 
add buoyancy to the fly and aid in keeping it on 
the surface of the water. The legs or hackle are 
reduced to a few fibres, as in the natural fly, and 
the body of the fly is either of quill or of some 
material having the greatest natural resemblance 
to the translucent body of the real gnat or dun. 

This fly is used in slow-flowing currents or pools, 
and is always cast upstream and allowed to re- 
main motionless and slowly floating on the water. 
Of course the "leader" must be of the finest. 
When a fresh cast is made, the rod is waved twice 
or thrice in air before delivering the fly. This 
motion dries any moisture that may adhere to the 
tiny lure, and it falls as softly as thistledown to 
float over the waiting fish, — a perfect resemblance 
to the actual fly. Hence this is often wrongly 
said to be " dead " fly-fishing, but as the actual 



368 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

fly of the stream rises from the pupae to the 
imago and floats without a struggle on the 
water, — its natural element, — this is much more 
closely an imitation than the struggling mass of 
fibres on the wet fly ; for flies do not struggle 
on the water unless they be like " house " flies 
in the milk pitcher. This fact is the potent 
one in dry fly-fishing ; and in England, where 
the chalk streams abound in two and three 
pounders, and the water is slow-flowing and 
without a ripple to obscure the keen vision of 
the experienced trout, no other form of fly-fishing 
is productive. I know whereof I speak, for in 
my "salad days" I had charge of the Itchen 
Abbas water for several seasons for Earl North- 
brook, and that fishery was the finest of its 
region. 

■jf. JJ^ JJ. J£^ Jit, J^ 

The true theory, then, of the trout fly is the 
making of it in as nearly exact an imitation as 
the resources of the fly-tier will permit, and of 
course much depends on the fly-tier, for he must 
be an angler and a naturalist, as well as a good 
workman, — which is a rare combination. 



PLATE 2 



LAKE TROUT AND BASS FLIES 



1. MATADOR 

2. CHENEY 

3. MOOSE 

4. CASSARD 

5. SPLIT IBIS 

6. LAKE EDWARD 



7. KINGFISHER 

8. BLACK PRINCE 

9. HOLBERTON 

10. KOTOODLE BUG 

11. MOISIC GRUB 

12. ALEXANDRA 



J. Harrington Keene fecit 



The Artificial Fly 369 

Making the Trout Fly 

There is no royal road to fly-making, — the 
expert becomes expert through practice, — and as 
each successive fly passes from his hands he finds 
that he has still something to learn, no matter how 
great his skill. I intend to make this chapter 
severely practical, and shall waste no words in 
describing the various processes of this delight- 
ful art. 

The first requisite, of course, is the proper hook 
on which the fly is to be constructed. These 
hooks are of many kinds, and each has its followers. 
The Sproat, O'Shaughnessy, Pennell, and for small 
flies, the Sneck or Kirbed hook, are all good. 
Personally I prefer the O'Shaughnessy, both on 
account of its strength and its shape, though it 
would seem that a new bend, termed the "Perfect," 
brought out by Allcock, of Redditch, takes the 
prize for grace and hooking power. All of the 
reliable makers send out a good hook, and all 
the fly-tier has to do is to see that the temper 
and penetration of the hook are perfect before 
he affords his time in tying the fly. 

The tools necessary for fly-tying are not many 
or complicated. Some fly-makers never use a 



370 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

vise, but many of the smaller flies and most of the 
salmon flies demand a cleaner and more precise 
handling than can be given by the unaided fingers. 
The learner also will find his task far less difficult 
if he use the vise. This usually consists of a so- 
called jeweller's pin vise, to which a clamp for 
attachment to the bench is affixed. The cost of 
this is but trifling, and I always make my own. 
A sharp pair of shears or oculist's scissors are also 
indispensable; they should be finely pointed. A 
pair of spring pliers, by which a fine thread or 
tiny hackle is held secure on occasions, is very 
useful. A little turned hook made from a darning- 
needle (the point softened in a gas flame) is also 
handy when the tying silk accidentally becomes 
too short for handling. 

A wax for the silk thread used in whipping the 
flies is, of course, necessary. Shoemaker's wax is 
not colorless, and is very sticky in a warm room. 

1 prefer the following recipe for all purposes: 

2 ounces of the best yellow resin ; i drachm white 
beeswax, sliced ; dissolve by heat and add 2J 
drachms fresh, unsalted lard ; stir for ten minutes 
and pour into water ; pull till cold. A good var- 
nish is that of the white shellac. A few strips of 
gelatine should be placed in the bottle. This 



The Artificial Fly 371 

absorbs any moisture which the alcohol of the 
varnish may take up from the air, and renders 
the varnish clear and hard when dry. 

Most fiies are tied on silkworm gut. It need 
hardly be said that this is the unspun gut of the 
Bo77ibyx mori silkworm, and that the worm is taken 
when ready to make its cocoon and immersed in 
vinegar and the gut drawn out between pins, being 
allowed to dry and harden ; after which it is boiled 
and the scale or outer skin drawn from it, usually 
through the teeth of the Murcian operator. Good 
gut is transparent and round, and through the 
magnifying glass should show no inequalities of 
surface. The practised eye at once detects faults, 
but the amateur fly-maker must largely trust to his 
dealer until his experience be sufficiently advanced 
to support his judgment. 

The gauge or size of gut is, of course, chosen 
with reference to the hook to be used, and the gut 
should be soaked in lukewarm soft water — dis- 
tilled if possible — for twelve hours before the 
loops are tied in the snell. A loop is tied at each 
end of the strand, and the gut is then strained 
slightly between two brass pins. This gives it a 
set of fibre, and the snell dries straight and even, 
and without twist or curl, if the gut be good. 



2il^ Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

One loop is of course snipped off at the length of 
the gut demanded by the fly-hook, and the snell is 
now ready to attach to the hook in the first stage 
of making the fly. The loop may be of any kind 
which ties firmly. There are several in vogue, 
but the ordinary " round and through " loop will 
do as well as the most elaborate, if drawn tight. 
A good plan in tying loops is to catch the loop 
over a hook screwed in the bench and with the 
tweezers take the loose end, and with the right 
hand take the long end and draw both tight. 
This makes a knot that will not slip or break in 
the coils. 

Of course, when the eyed hook is used, the other 
end of the gut must be slipped through the eye 
and tied with a slip knot. This is not attached, 
however, till the fly is finished and out of the 
hands of the fly-tier. 

The method of tying a simple hackle fly is 
briefly as follows : Attach the silk thread by wind- 
ing it, well waxed, around the shank of the hook 
from bend to tip; then take the gut and lay it 
under the shank and whip closely down to a point 
opposite the barb of the hook. Now take a hackle 
feather — say from the neck of a game rooster — 
and proceed to prepare it for attachment in this 



The Artificial Fly 373 

wise : Take the point end of the hackle between 
the left finger and thumb and draw the hackle 
through the right finger and thumb, so as to 
spread out the fibres from the midrib. Then 
shift the left forefinger and thumb to the butt of 
the hackle, and take the tip of the hackle between 
the first finger and thumb of the right hand, with 
the reverse side of the hackle underneath. You 
have now the two ends of the hackle held be- 
tween the two hands. Now reach out the middle 
finger of the right hand — still holding the hackle 
securely — and pass the nail from you toward the 
butt of the feather on each side of the midrib, 
alternately, so as to reverse the set of the fibres in 
a downward slanting direction. This process is 
termed " turning the hackle," so that when it is 
wound round the hook each fibre stands separate 
and free of its neighbor, which cannot be ac- 
complished by the old-fashioned method. The 
" turned " hackle is now ready to go on the hook, 
and that process is as follows : Place the hook 
in the vise, with the snell to the right ; attach the 
tip of the hackle by two turns of silk to the shank 
opposite the barb ; pass the silk out of the way 
in loose coils round the snell ; take the butt of the 
hackle between the right forefinger and thumb 



374 Guns, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

and wind it in loose coils — three or four — 
around the shank until you reach almost the end 
of it; then tie the hackle, smoothing the fibres 
back with the finger and thumb of the left hand ; 
tie with two half hitches, and your fly is made. 

This fly is, of course, only the typical buzz or 
palmer, and represents one of the larvae of water 
flies without wings. By some it is termed a spi- 
der, and it may be said closely to resemble one. 
The shank of the hook and the whipping forms 
the body. 

Different shades of silk and other materials, 
such as mohair, worsted, wool, quill strips, ribbed 
or not, also, as the case may be, form the bodies 
of the palmers ; and the hackles, so-called, are 
usually made by attaching the hackle feather at 
the shoulder or end of shank and winding it 
closely in coils. All anglers are familiar with 
these simple forms, and they are mentioned merely 
to introduce the " turning " of the hackle, which 
is one of the most important processes at the 
basis of fly-making. 

The bodies of all flies need to be as soft and 
pliable as possible in all cases, that they may re- 
semble the body of the actual insect. Detached 
bodies are made of various plastic materials, such 



The Artificial Fly 375 

as soft rubber, cork, and twisted feathers. When 
they are formed of bristle, hair, or quill, and stand 
out from the shank of the fly, it is quite question- 
able if they are more successful than the close- 
bodied fly, owing to the fact that the texture of 
the material is not fly-like when tested by the sen- 
sitive mouth of the fish. Every angler knows 
how quickly a trout ejects a strange or foreign 
object from the mouth, though it may have been 
deceived through the sense of sight. 

The wings of trout flies are principally of feath- 
ers, and almost every feather is likely to be found 
useful by the fly-tier. First, of course, come 
those birds whose texture of feather most closely 
resembles the gauze-winged ephemeridce, and in 
Britain the starling furnishes the majority for the 
various duns. So also for the may-flies, the frec- 
kled under-wing feathers of the American wood- 
drake are indispensable ; and the pheasants, par- 
tridges, grouse, and all the wild fowl native to the 
^British Islands are pressed into use. In America 
the variety of fly-tying is even greater, and for 
trout almost every gorgeous feather has gone 
to the making of a lure for the "salmon of the 
fountains." 

Among the feathers most sought after are the 



376 Guns, AmmtmUion, and Tackle 

breast and wing, as well as coverts, of all the wild 
fowl. These furnish most of the wings of the 
ephemeridiE. The wild and tame turkey, espe- 
cially the former, the peacock, the peahen, the ibis, 
the swan, brant, and a host of others are useful, 
and the angler will do well never to forget how 
useful the hackle feathers of white, brown, gray, 
black, and in fact all roosters, are, in the fly-tier's 
accumulation of material. Those feathers which 
make the best wings are of well hooked or matted 
fibres. Some feathers, such as those of the blue 
heron, though valuable for strips, do not hold to- 
gether well and soon lose their cohesion in the 
water. 

A winged fly in this country is held to be 
stronger and more durable when the wing is " re- 
versed." In England the reversed wing is seldom 
seen. This term needs a little explanation. In- 
stead of the wing being tied on at the head of the 
fly after the hackle (or legs) is attached, they are 
tied on with the tips pointing away from the bend 
of the hook and in the direction of the snell ; and 
after the hackle is secured these wings are turned 
back side by side and strongly tied with the tip 
points in the way indicated by the natural fly. 

The right way to select the feathers for such 



The Artificial Fly 2>n 

wings as are not single feathers only, is to take a 
suitable strip from the right and left feathers of 
the bird. No two strips can be taken from one 
feather and put satisfactorily side by side for a 
pair of wings. They must be of opposite sides 
to fit each other, but may be placed concavely or 
convexly together, as seems best. The only way 
in which one piece of feather can be made a pass- 
able wing is by folding or rolling it in three folds. 
It is seldom that even the expert does this, how- 
ever, for the obvious reason that it is not the best 
way, — unless one is very short of feathers, — and 
of course it may then arise that the tailor must 
cut his clothes according to the amount of cloth 
he has to work with. 

The wings of floating flies are usually single 
feathers, such as those of the mallard's breast, 
and to cause them to float the fly to which they 
are attached, they are tied back to back, or with 
the concave sides outward. This renders the fly 
very buoyant, and can be applied to almost any 
fly. Another method fast becoming prevalent in 
this country, is the doubling of the ordinary 
wings and the placing therefore of two pairs of 
wings on the fly instead of one pair. This needs 
that when the fly is lifted from the water it should 



378 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

be waved in the air and some of its moisture 
dried out before the return cast is made. Some- 
times a Httle vaseline on the wing will help to 
float it. 

In some trout flies, such as the Parmachene 
Belle, the fly has more than one colored feather 
in the wing. Of course this is always so with 
salmon flies, but is the exception in the construc- 
tion of those designed for trout. The wings are 
placed on separately, — as a rule, — the red ibis 
over the white swan in the fly in question, and 
both are tied down without reversion. Such flies 
as the Silver Doctor, Jock Scott, and others 
which, from being exclusively salmon flies, have 
been taken over for trout, have very complex 
wings and bodies, and must be treated separately 
under "The Making of the Salmon Fly." 

Using the Trout Fly 

The literature of the use of the artificial fly is 
overwhelmingly voluminous, and no one, however 
skilled, can hope to add anything new to the story 
of this "gentle craft." The most the present 
writer can do is to gather a few of the practical 
lessons he has learned in nearly forty years with 



The Artificial Flj^ 379 

the fly-rod and tie them together as a bouquet of 
wild flowers for the young angler. " Nothing is 
new but that which is forgotten " on this ancient 
earth ; and assuredly the saying of the philosopher 
by this time applies to the use of the fly, which 
dates at least from the time of the Macedonian 
" hippurus " described by Aelian as having been 
used on the River Aestreus. Perhaps Adam, 
in medio ligni Paradisi, whipped the rivers of 
Eden, — Gihon, Pison, Hiddekel, and Euphrates. 
Who knows? 

Be that as it may, the modern use of the fly 
needs skill and patience and the twentieth-cen- 
tury consummation of art for its best results. 
The fly itself must be, as I have tried to show, 
of close imitation of the actual insect and con- 
structed of the softest and finest material. As- 
suming that the angler is thus provided, the first 
question concerns its presentation to the fish. 

As I have before intimated, there are two gen- 
eral styles of flies. The usual and most used is 
that which is cast on the water and is intended 
to represent the live fly partly sunk beneath the 
surface. This fly is worked with enticing motion 
through the water, and, being well hackled, is 
closely imitative of the living insect. Without 



380 Guns, Ammimition, and Tackle 

doubt the trout is attracted by this semblance of 
Hfe. The fly may be cast up or down, across or 
obliquely, as the exigencies of the stream dictate, 
and in waters where the fish are plenty and not 
too much fished it is the most successful method, 
without doubt. In any case it utilizes the thou- 
sand and one patterns of flies known to the fly- 
fisher, and it is for this purpose they are built. 

The other make of fly, as has been intimated 
earlier, is the "exact imitation," — a floating fly 
which depends most on its identities with the 
actual insect for its consummate efliciency. 
These flies have their origin in the chalk streams 
of England, where the water is of crystal clarity 
and seldom over six feet deep, with a soft-flowing 
current of about two miles an hour. Here and 
there are riffles and shallows, and here and there 
are hovers and hiding-places for the large trout ; 
but the coverts for the angler are not many, 
and he is obliged to creep and crawl, and take 
every possible advantage of uneven ground, that 
he may escape the unequalled vision of this 
brown trout, which feeds on the minutest flies of 
the world, — the diaphanous and most micro- 
scopical of ephemera. 

The floating flies are tied on the eyed hook or 



The Artificial Fly 381 

not, according to the taste of the user, from the 
No. 6 to the No. 16, or even No. 18 hook; for I 
have tied and used them on the latter. The deh- 
cacy of such flies surpasses belief, unless they are 
seen; and it is my personal experience that the 
very small flies are the most attractive, and that, 
properly presented, they hook more fish than the 
large flies so much in use on our own waters. A 
No. 10 is a small fly for American anglers, but 
there is reason in a minute fly. In the first place 
most of the fly food of trout of all kinds is of very 
small insects, and the small hook usually only 
pierces the tough skin on the jaws of the fish and 
cannot sink through the jaw, as in the case of the 
larger hooks. At first glance this would appear 
a reason why the very small hook should not be 
used ; but the fact is that the small hook engages 
the toughest membrane in nature, and cannot 
tear out or be ejected by the struggling fish, 
whilst the large hook, which makes a complete 
perforation, is often ejected through the orifice 
it has made. My experience in two continents 
teaches me that success in trout-fishing is at least 
fifty per cent greater with small than with me- 
dium and large flies, and twenty-five per cent 
more with the floating than the live or sub- 



382 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

merged fly of the ordinary pattern, — all things 
being equal, of course. 

The floating fly is always fished " fine and far 
off." The gut leader is of the finest " undrawn " 
gut, and only one fly is used ; two trout at a time, 
as often happens to the live fly-fisherman, would 
be embarrassing to the floating fly-angler, to say 
the least. The angler always casts up-stream, 
and the cast must be so made that the fly drops 
on the water first. This needs the most delicate 
and precise manipulation, and in its accomplish- 
ment I need scarcely say that practice alone makes 
the perfect cast. The fly is allowed to float down 
to within a few yards of the fisherman's feet with- 
out the least agitation, the rod being gently raised 
so that no undue loose line may lie on the water. 
The eye of the angler is keenly fixed on the 
descending fly; and when the psychologic moment 
comes for the rise of the fish, he strikes with a 
sharp impulse of the wrist and, habei ! he has it. 
Then comes the " tug of war," and the generalship 
of the angler needs its greatest extension. The 
point of the rod must bear the strain; it must 
ever be at a less angle than forty-five degrees to 
the surface of the water; its resilience must be 
employed to restrain the struggling and gallant 



The Artificial Fly 383 

quarry, and every rush restrained with judgment, 
till, exhausted and resigned, the incarnadined 
beauty of the water lies in the landing-net, sub- 
dued but not conquered. 

The great secret of successful fishing with the 
floating fly is the stalking of the fish from be- 
hind as it lies with its head up-stream, and its 
marking down as it takes the natural fly from 
time to time. The dry fly-angler drops the fly 
within the last circle of the rise, and no snowflake 
ever kissed the water as softly as this tiny quill 
gnat or dun midge touches the curling eddy, cast 
there by the expert dry fly-fisherman. 

The graceful and true casting of the trout fly 
depends largely on the proper selection of the rod 
and line. The indispensable features of a good 
rod are briefly as follows : Lightness, strength, an 
elasticity which springs from handle to tip evenly, 
and a careful adaptation of the length and weight 
to the strength of the user. The reel is not of 
prime consequence, and any good make will do 
well enough. The line should be of medium 
thickness. I prefer quite a heavy braided silk 
line, which has been dressed in boiled linseed oil 
under an air-pump for some ten days, and then 
stretched moderately tight between supports in a 



384 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

dry place where the air is fresh and about sixty 
degrees. The superfluous oil should be wiped off 
with chamois leather as many as three or four 
times during the first week or so, and then allowed 
to dry naturally, till it is quite free from evapora- 
tion. This will require several weeks to harden, 
but must in no case be hurried in the process. 

The actual operation of fly-casting cannot be 
taught in writing, but certain directions may be 
given which will be of use to the novice. The 
most common is the overhand cast, and this con- 
sists, as its name implies, of a principal motion of 
the rod which is overhand. To begin, the leader, 
line, and flies are drawn out by the action of the 
stream until some twenty-five or thirty feet of line 
has elapsed between the tip of the rod and the 
end of the fly or dropper. With a smart upward 
and backward movement of the rod this line is 
recovered from the water and urged directly back- 
ward to its full length. When this is reached, the 
rod is impelled sharply forward, and the result 
should be that the leader and dropper lie straight 
out in the water. This sounds exceedingly simple, 
but there is a knack in it which depends on the 
sense of balance at the psychological moment 
when the fly is fully extended behind the caster. 




HOOKED I 



The Artificial Fly 385 

Some there are who never fully learn to perceive 
this, and these pop off their flies as a teamster 
snaps his whip-lash. The best practical plan to 
teach this lesson is to have a sharp-eyed friend 
to utter the word "go" just before the crucial 
moment. I say " before," to allow for the trans- 
mission of thought, and so inform the caster when 
the fly lies momentarily straight in the air behind 
him. Casting on a smooth lawn has been recom- 
mended for practice, but I prefer the water as 
being more informing of the various exigencies 
that arise. 

The same method obtains in dry fly-fishing, with 
the exception that the fly is sustained in air to dry 
it during several false casts, and with the intent 
to aim exactly where one desires. It is obvious 
that if the line be returned before falling on the 
water, there is the possibility of another and better 
cast, supposing the preceding one to be inade- 
quate ; and this without alarming the fish. 

Other forms of casting are in vogue amongst 
the experts in trout-fishing, but they are only used 
when the old-fashioned cast is not possible. Of 
these the " wind " cast is very useful. It is used 
when the wind is dead against one, and is made 
thus : The line, with the full strength of the arm, 



386 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

is propelled up overhead, and then the rod is 
brought right down in the teeth of the wind till 
the tip almost touches the water, without pause. 
The full strength of the rod is exercised, and a 
heavy line is most successful in this cast. 

The " underhand " cast is made by drawing the 
rod close to the water, either to the right or the 
left. The rod does most of the work, and the cast 
is an easy one. It is intended to be used under 
overhanging boughs, where the " overhand cast " 
is impracticable. 

The " flip " cast is used to reach the obscure 
hovers which will not permit of the other castings. 
The rod is taken firmly in the right hand, and a 
few coils of the line held loosely between the reel 
and the first guide ; the fly is taken carefully, but 
securely, between the tips of the left finger and 
thumb, so that the barb will not penetrate, and the 
rod is then bent in spring shape, so that when the 
fly is released it is propelled to the desired spot. 
Sometimes this is a most useful cast. 

The " switch " cast is the great cast with which 
the late Harry Pritchard and his son used to 
achieve such long-distance casting. It is some- 
what similar to the " wind " and " Spey " casts, but 
has its own indescribable peculiarities. A sudden 



The Artificial Fly 387 

rolling motion is given the tip of the rod, and both 
hands are brought into use, the left hand steady- 
ing the butt of the rod as a fulcrum. The result 
is a rolling motion of the line, which unfolds in 
spirals, dropping the fiy last instead of first. The 
" Spey " cast is mostly used by the salmon fisher- 
men of the Spey, and will be described in its 
place. 

There is an art in striking a rising fish, and the 
precise movement and moment is hard to define. 
The quicker the hand answers to the eye in fenc- 
ing, the better the fencer; and, similarly, the 
quicker the strike when the fish has risen, the 
surer the hooking of the fish. A quick wrist 
motion is generally the best, and a moderately 
stiff rod is the kind I prefer for precision and 
penetration. 

On hooking a trout the first mental quality to 
be brought into action is coolness. All flurry 
is inimical to the proper playing of any fish, and 
especially of the trout. Having evidently hooked 
the trout, it is necessary to keep the point of the 
rod well up, that the strain may be not so much on 
the line as on the rod. Do not indulge the strug- 
gling fish too much. Seek to let him know his 
master, that he may not unduly disturb the water 



388 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

and other fish also. Do not let out too much line, 
but observe that slack line is a fatal evil ; for if the 
hook be only fixed loosely, the fish relaxes the hold 
and shakes out the point and barb. If a fish enter 
a patch of grass or weed, boldly endeavor to irri- 
tate him to extricate himself ; for you cannot, as 
a rule, draw him out violently. The landing of a 
fish should also be deliberate. It is much better 
to play it a longer time than endeavor to get it 
into the landing-net until fairly exhausted. 

The Theory of the Salmon Fly 

There has never been any doubt that trout and 
bass feed in fresh water on insect life ; and it has, 
therefore, not been hard to account for these fishes 
taking the artificial fly, whether it be an exact 
imitation or what Charles Dudley Warner termed 
a " conventionalized creation." 

It has, however, been gravely doubted until 
recent years that the Salmo salar ever took food 
from the time it entered fresh water, in the yearly 
migration for family puiposes, till the time it, in the 
ordinary course of nature, dropped back again 
into the ocean for recuperation and growth. 

If, as has been asserted by many experienced 



The Artificial Fly 389 

anglers and pisciculturists, the stomach of the 
salmon in fresh water never disclosed the remains 
of food, then the fact that this fish is caught 
readily on the artificial fly lacks the support 
of any plausible theory. That the fish could 
be taken with other bait than the fly seems to 
have been believed as early as the " Boke of St. 
Albans," wherein the good Dame Berners says, 

"Ye shall angle wyth these baytes when ye maye gete 
theym. Fyrste wyth a red worm . . . and also wyth a lob 
[the lob or garden worm] that bredyth in a dunghill , . . 
and ye shall also take hym wyth a dubbe [fly] in like mannere 
as ye doo take a troughte or a graylynge." 

And old Barker (1655), in "Barker's Delight," 
thus versifies his chapter on the Salmo salar: — 

"Close to the bottom in the midst of the water, 
I fished for a salmon, and there I caught her. 
My plummet twelve inches from the large hook, 
Two lob- worms hanged equal which she never forsook ; 
Nor yet the great hook with the six-winged flye, 
And she makes at a gudgeon most furiouslie. 
My strong line, just twenty-six yards long, 
I gave him a time, though I found him strong. 
I rouled up my tackle to guide him to shore, 
The landing-hook helped much — the cookery more ! " 

Although not much reliance can be placed on 



390 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

these quaint old authors, it is abundantly certain 
that salmon are frequently caught on natural bait. 
The worm is used to this day in some British 
rivers, and the shrimp and prawn are deemed very 
killing in the estuaries of many Scotch rivers. 
Moreover, the salmon will take the "phantom 
minnow," which is made of fine silk, painted to 
represent the young salmon or parr or small trout. 
There can be no doubt of this. It is done to 
this day, though, of course, is not considered 
sportsman-like. I once caught a fresh-run ten- 
pound salmon below Tewkesbury on the Severn 
with a natural minnow impaled on a flight of 
hooks, and used in the manner known in Eng- 
land as " spinning." 

And what say the authorities about the feeding 
of Salmo salar in fresh water ? I do not refer to 
the Pacific salmon, of course. Mr. Charles Hal- 
lock, in " American Game Fishes," says : — 

" A great deal of bosh has been written in all the books of 
the salmon for four centuries past, about salmon not eating 
when ascending to their spawning grounds, but that theory is 
now wholly exploded. They not only eat, but eat promis- 
cuously and voraciously of a great variety of food, including 
young salmonidcB and other fresh and salt-water fish fry, 
shrimps, prawns, sandworms, crustaceans, cephalopods, and 
floating invertebrata. Another impression is, or was, that 



The Artificial Fly 391 

salmon could only be taken with the fly ; whereas they readily 
take natural minnows, prawns, worms, artificial spoons, and a 
dozen other kinds of bait, as has abundantly been tested and 
proven. ... It is remarkable that this question should have 
remained open for so many centuries and that none of the 
books have set the matter right." 

Thus Mr. Hallock, the dean of American 
sportsmen, declares, and we must heed such an 
authority. He goes on to explain exactly why 
the idea obtained that salmon do not eat, and I 
refer my readers to his impregnable explanation, 
having no space for it in this chapter. 

So also Brown-Goode, in " American Fishes," 
concedes that they feed in brackish and fresh 
water. Mr. George M. Kelson, the champion 
English salmon fly-caster and salmon angler, says : 
" I have had evidence of an abundance of food 
being actually found in the stomach of a fish of 
nine pounds in weight, caught high in the Scotch 
Tweed. The food consisted principally of stone 
flies," and he quotes from the letter of a friend 
who had opened thousands of salmon : — 

" ' I have seen salmon feeding in both river and lake. I am 
simply astonished that any person could maintain that they do 
not.' The same authority goes on to say : ' Salmon are no 
doubt heavy feeders while in the sea, and also while in the 



39^ Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

estuary. I have taken no fewer than eleven herrings out of a 
ten-pound grilse, caught at the mouth of the Ayr. I saw at 
Dalmeny five sprats taken out of a salmon. A salmon caught 
at Kincardine had in its stomach seven sparling, besides other 
small shrimps; another, caught high up the Forth, at Polnaise, 
contained a smolt and eighteen shrimps ; one taken at Craig- 
north Cruives, twenty-seven young eels ; others having swallowed 
a trout fully half a pound and every imaginable insect, flies, 
beetles, worms, and spiders. So it is all nonsense to say that 
salmon, when in fresh water, live upon love.' " 

And yet one other piece of evidence : — 

" I quote from a letter I have of * Nahanik,' a celebrated 
Irish fisherman of twenty years ago. He says : — 

" * The fish in different fisheries feed differently. There are 
the three fisheries on Galway Bay, Galway, Screebe and Ballyn- 
ahinch. In Galway the fish will take the shrimp better than 
anything else ; even above the tideway, or rather above high 
water of neap tides, they will also take the fly ; but, if I remem- 
ber rightly, not in the regular tideway. In Screebe the fish 
out in the regular tideway and in Lough Athalie (brackish 
water) take the fly better than anything else ; but in Ballyna- 
hinch I have known men trying every turn in the tideway with- 
out ever catching a fish, although they were rising at the natural 
fly ; but up in the fresh water at Derry, Clare, Butt, they will take 
the shrimp. I have watched a salmon pool for hours ; at times 
the fish rise and try to drown the fly, but at other times they 
come up gently and suck it into their mouths.' " 

The above evidence seemed necessary to forever 
settle and fix the fact that salmon feed in the rivers 



The Artificial Fly 393 

they penetrate for spawning purposes. In order 
to arrive at any rational explanation of the theory 
of the artificial salmon fly it was imperative that 
this truth should be insisted on; otherwise no 
intelligible reasons for the making of this poem 
of color and form could be given, unless, indeed, 
we adopt the sounding theorem of one eloquent 
writer, to wit : — 

" As the harmonies of sound depend on the certain natural 
* intervals ' furnished by the harmonic chord, so in forming 
harmonies of color [in salmon flies] the natural or prismatic 
arrangement as displayed by the solar spectrum of the optician 
must in every case be taken as a basis." 

From a theoretical point of view there may 
be something in this, but not much in practice, 
I think. 

Blacker, the Court fly-tier in the early part of 
the nineteenth century, of Soho, London, was the 
first one to place the making of the salmon fly on 
its proper basis as an art. His beautiful hand- 
painted illustrations in the little book which bears 
his name are rare and authoritative, and no one 
has excelled his creations. Later, the long list of 
Mr. Francis Francis, in his " Book on Angling," 
settles the orthodox patterns, and most of them 
remain killers to this day, over the water. 



394 Gtms, Ammunition, and Tackle 

Some fifteen years ago a renaissance of salmon 
fly-tying was attempted in the pages of Land 
and Water (the original organ of Frank Buck- 
land, of sacred memory) by G. M. Kelson, before 
quoted, a well-known and supremely skilful an- 
gler, fly-tier, fly-caster, and writer, whose creations 
in salmon flies, and expositions, appeared in many 
numbers of that journal. I have before me the 
colored illustrations of the whole set of standard 
patterns, in some cases in sixteen colors, and 
exactly, beautifully, and chastely executed. There 
are no reproductions extant that are so perfect, 
and they represent flies tied by Kelson for the 
purpose of establishing the recognized standards 
and illustrating his theories, on which many of 
the most killing flies were built. 

It is not necessary here to give a list of these 
flies, but it includes the well-known patterns and 
many new ones, largely derived from Major Tre- 
herne's collection. What I wish to refer to at 
this time is some of the points which accom- 
panied the publication of this series. In brief 
they were as follows : — 

(i) A bright fly in bright or clear waters should 
be used, leaving the sombre patterns of deeper dye 
for discolored and shaded districts. 



The Artificial Fly 395 

(2) There is a predisposition of certain rivers 
to particular classes, colors, and sizes of flies. 

(3) In still, deep pools, a small fly should be 
used. The fish come from a greater distance 
for a small fly, except in very cold, rough 
weather. 

(4) In rivers clear as crystal, use the most 
showy feathers in flies dressed small, to attract the 
attention of the fish ; then follow with a fly dressed 
in the same pattern, but with its feathers less 
marked, or in fibres. 

(5) Salmon can be taught to take the fly ; in- 
stance the English Avon and Test. In all cases 
Kelson believes that the salmon has been educated 
to take the fly. 

(6) Adepts in the science of fly-making draw 
their conclusions from local surroundings in sum- 
mer time with almost miraculous effect, and as a 
rule foliage is one of the chief guides in experi- 
menting. Autumn leaves looking down on the 
water shed their influence without a motion or 
sound. It is the angler's duty to reason from them. 

In addition to these axioms the new theories of 
" condensation " and " exaggeration" may be briefly 
noticed. The meanings of these terms simply are 
that when the salmon will not rise to the ordinary 



39^ Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

fly of the water, — a fly like Jock Scot or the 
Silver Doctor, and known to be a killer, — the 
angler resorts to a fly which either condenses or 
exaggerates the known pattern. " Condensation " 
means the use of fibres of feathers instead of whole 
feathers, and " exaggeration " means the use of 
larger and more striking strips and whole feathers 
in the place of the modest and symmetrical dress 
of the ordinary pattern. The modern school of 
salmon fishermen, at the head of which are Mr. 
Kelson and Major Traherne, swears by this method 
of rousing sluggish fish ; and the idea is certainly 
worth consideration, especially as both these an- 
glers are most successful in practice. But what- 
ever conclusions may be ultimately arrived at, 
every sign points to the theory that salmon, like 
trout, rise to the fly, mistaking it for some form of 
insect life, and take it for food, and not for a mere 
mirage or phantasm. 

Making the Salmon Fly 

The salmon fly demands more skill in the 
making than any other fly. This is a truism. It 
calls for a knowledge of materials that is never 
too full and complete, an artistic sense in the 



The Artificial Fly 397 

selection of colors and their blendings and con- 
trasts that is ever striving for greater results, and 
a skill in the making which surpasses that neces- 
sary to the most exquisite work of the jeweller. 
In fact, some of the creations of the salmon fly- 
maker are veritable jewels in feather, silk, and 
others of nature's most gorgeous fabrics, which are 
not outshone by the greatest gems of other arts. 

To plunge in medias res of the practical mak- 
ing of the salmon fly, a few remarks are first 
necessary in regard to the hook. What is the 
best hook .? This is the common question put to 
experts by the learner; and the answer is hard 
to give, but not impossible. 

There is no doubt that the old famed 
O'Shaughnessy has stood the test royally, and 
is still thought to be the best by the majority of 
salmon fishermen and fly-tiers. The hand-forged 
"irons," as they are sometimes technically termed, 
hardened and tempered by the most expert work- 
men, and separately tested, seldom prove false; 
and though the penetration of the hook is con- 
fessedly not faultless, it is equal to any hook in 
holding power, when once the fish is hooked. 
The Sproat no doubt excels it in penetration; 
but every angler of experience knows that the 



39^ Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

Sproat has the miserable habit of enlarging its 
embrace and widening its bend, and so relaxing 
its hold. Many a noble fish has been lost 
through this fault, apparently unavoidable be- 
cause structural. 

These two shapes of hooks were practically the 
favored two until, about thirty years ago, Mr. Pen- 
nell invented his combined Sproat and Limerick 
(or O'Shaughnessy) hook. There is no doubt 
that it is a great improvement on either hook in 
several ways ; but it is not a great deal better, in 
my opinion, than the Limerick, in penetration, 
though it greatly excels the Sproat in holding 
power. At all events, it is a thoroughly well- 
made and well-tested hook, and has met with 
great favor. 

This hook is also made in the Sproat bend, 
for those who like that hook, and its greater 
strength in the wire makes it a better hook than 
its prototype. All the Pennell hooks, besides 
being made with tapered shanks, are also eyed 
with eyes either of up or down inclination. The 
war between the armies of "up" and "downers" 
no longer wages, but I doubt if the fight is yet 
over amongst our cousins beyond the seas. I 
have always preferred the Limerick — O'Shaugh- 



The Artificial Fly 399 

nessy, — because it is an old and tried love of 

mine, but the Pennell hooks are undeniably fine 

weapons ; and I can say very truthfully with the 

poet, 

" How happy I could be with either, 

Were t'other dear charmer away." 

One of the conveniences of the Pennell eyed 
hooks is, of course, the readiness with which the 
fly can be tied on the leader. The end of the 
leader is softened, slipped through, and a simple 
round knot tied to include the shank, pulled 
tight, and the trick is done. To the tapered 
shank and hook (minus the metal eye) one must 
wind tightly a loop of twisted gut. Some say 
this acts better than the metal eye ; and I think 
it does. This is why : — 

There are two distinct makes of eyes : one that 
has the shank folded back at the side on a loop, 
and pressed closely to the side of the main shank, 
like the loop of the letter /; and the other is a 
round eyelet of wire at the extreme end of the 
shank, and standing out, looking up or down, ac- 
cording to the fancy of the buyer. On tying the 
fly, its head must be placed some distance from 
the end of the shank and the eye, to allow of the 
necessary knot ; and I have repeatedly found that 



400 Gtms, Ammimition, and Tackle 

this knot is likely to form an excrescence which 
slightly interferes with the perfect level of the fly, 
so that it is sometimes liable to skirt or wabble 
when being fished. With the loop of gut this 
never occurs. That's why ! 

So much for the salmon hook. The anatomy 
of the salmon fly needs to be briefly detailed, that 
the tyro may know the various parts and their 
positions. Taking a comparatively simple exam- 
ple, — the Silver Doctor, — it may be thus dis- 
sected : — 

(i) The tag is of several turns of silver twist 
or fine wire wound opposite to the point of the 
hook on the shank, followed by two or three turns 
of dark yellow silk floss, and secured by a turn of 
the tying silk. 

(2) The tail is a golden pheasant crest feather, 
tied in next the tag with a small blue feather of 
the kingfisher. 

(3) The butt is a couple of turns of dark scarlet 
wool yarn next the tail on the hook, and secured 
by two turns of the tying silk, as before. 

(4) The body is, first, white floss silk tied in next 
the butt ; then tie in a strip of flat silver tinsel ; 
then a length of oval silver tinsel. Make these 
secure, and first wind the floss silk smoothly over 



The Artificial Fly 401 

the shank of the hook to within an eighth of an 
inch of the extreme end, securing it; second, wind 
on the flat tinsel to the end of the silk, covering 
it up smoothly and securing it ; third, wind the 
oval tinsel in a coil about six turns up the body, 
and secure it. This last forms the (5) rids of 
the fly.^ 

(6) The throat of the fly is at the upper part of 
the body, of course. A blue hackle (stained) and 
a hackle from the guinea fowl are superimposed 
in the order indicated, 

(7) The wings of the Silver Doctor are con- 
nected strips from the tippet of the golden pheas- 
ant, from the barred feather of the wood duck, 
pintail, tail of the golden pheasant, swan dyed 
light yellow, and light blue brown mallard side 
feather, and Siberian bustard. Over this com- 
bination a crest feather of the golden pheasant 
droops with its golden rays. 

(8) The Jiorns are two separate fibres of the 
tail feathers of the blue macaw, and are placed in 
each side of the head of the fly. 

(9) The head is of dark scarlet wool yarn, two 

1 The under body of white silk should be perfectly smooth, so that 
the silver body appears like a polished silver tube of equal diameter 
throughout. 



402 Guns, Ammtutition, and Tackle 

turns, and secured by two final half hitches of the 
tying silk. The fly is now finished. 

Thus, in the ordinary salmon fly there are nine 
separate parts, which must be adjusted with skill 
and nicety and with a proper sense of proportion, 
to be handsome and effective as a finished fly. 

In the Silver Doctor there are, all told, some 
forty pieces of material, including the hook. In 
the Jock Scott there are at least ten more, and in 
the " Chatterer " there are some 1 50 feathers of 
the Blue Chatterer on the body alone. Of course 
much simpler flies are made and much used, and 
for my own part I am of opinion that it is a needless 
waste of material to tie such a fly as the Chatterer. 
The rich dressings of the Silver Doctor, Jock 
Scott, and others of that ilk are apparently neces- 
sary; and the capture of a lordly fish of a score 
or more pounds' weight amply repays the labor 
of making the fly, in the sense which results of 
rich artistic triumph. 

There is nothing recondite in the making of 
any part of the salmon fly which the trout fly-tier 
does not readily apprehend. The tag body and 
hackles are arranged in the same way, and the 
wings are laid on and not reversed. The expres- 
sion "connected strips," used in describing the 



The Artificial Fly 403 

wings (7), means that the strands of each feather are 
connected or married to their fellows by means of 
the hooked appendages of the fibres of the feathers. 
Thus, in making wings we have several composite 
wings paired and tied, forming a harmonious and 
beautiful variety of color and texture in one 
assemblage of feathers. In tying on each set 
of wings it is necessary to use the greatest care 
that they be set precisely upright at their bases ; 
and of course, where there are jungle cock 
or other feathers for cheeks and horns, the 
latter are placed on the hook after tying the 
main wings. 

Natural feathers are always used when possible, 
but the red, yellow, and blue strips of the swan 
must be dyed when required. This can be done 
easily by means of the aniline dyes ; though where 
the dyer is a professional, he will do better with 
the wood dyes than with the aniline. In small 
flies the red ibis furnishes the scarlet strips, and 
should be always used when long enough to fill 
the purpose properly. All wings must be of 
matched feathers ; that is, strips from the right and 
left feathers of the birds, and the pairs are always 
placed inside to inside. To this rule in salmon- 
fly making there is no exception. 



404 Gmis, Ammunition, and Tackle 

Using the Salmon Fly 

The consummate use of the salmon fly depends 
largely on the fitness and adaptation of the several 
parts of the tackle, of which it is the apex and the 
point d'appui. It is necessary, therefore, in apply- 
ing the salmon fly to its proper purpose, to consider 
the various parts of the salmon angler's outfit in 
their proper relationship. This I propose to do 
with the utmost brevity, endeavoring to be plain, 
precise, and practical. 

The rod is most important, and must be pro- 
portionate to the strength and size of the user. If 
the water to be fished be wide, a long rod is better 
than a short one. The rod I prefer is the Castle 
Connell, of some sixteen feet in length, with en- 
larged butt, and tapered, so that it bends equally 
from tip to butt. It is astonishing how easy such 
a rod is to wield and how powerful it is when 
fighting a fish where the stream is strong. Of 
course the rod is of spliced joints. I do not find 
the cane-jointed rod so reliable, and for the Castle 
Connell, old, well-seasoned greenheart is the very 
best wood. I have one made by Dalzell, of St. 
John, N.B., which is sixteen feet six inches, and 
the wood came out of the greenheart timbers of 



The Artificial Fly 405 

an old wreck which had lain in the Bay of St 
Andrews for many a decade. This rod has done 
wonderful service, and is yet as stanch and elastic 
as on the day I received it from the maker. Wash- 
aba has been recommended, but I have no experi- 
ence of it. The guides on the rod should be 
upright and not the ordinary rings, so that the 
lin^ may run as freely as possible on all occasions. 

The line may be of any good make of braided 
silk, but must be dressed with an eflEicient oil 
dressing to waterproof it. The recipe given in 
the preceding section will do admirably. Its 
length ought to be at least three hundred feet, 
and I have always felt that there was a loss of 
strength and little advantage of any kind in 
having a tapered line. After being used, on all 
occasions the line should be carefully unreeled, 
and dried in loose coils on a chair in a warm 
room. This is very important. 

The reel is a matter of considerable importance 
as to principle. It needs to be large enough to 
hold the line easily, and large enough in the barrel 
to reel up easily. The check or click must not be 
too stiff in its working, lest the suddenly plunging 
fish find a dead point, and snap the line. The 
best material for reels, in my experience, is a com- 



4o6 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

bination of ebonite and German silver, the latter 
protecting the former, so that in the event of a 
fall on the rocks the metal takes the blow. 

The above appliances may be termed the per- 
manent part of the salmon fisher's tackle, and, as 
such, demand care and experience in the selection. 
Care of a more solicitous and continually changing 
kind is demanded by those parts which require 
constant renewal ; namely, the leader or casting 
line and the fly. The casting line is, of course, of 
the best salmon gut, and it should be round, trans- 
parent, of even gauge, free from flaws of all kinds. 
A powerful magnifying glass should be passed 
over each strand as a test of the preliminary selec- 
tion, and all strands should be rejected that are in 
the least flat or faulty. The chosen strands are 
soaked in distilled or filtered rain-water, or, better 
still, in fresh milk and water, which seems to take 
from the silvery gloss which occasionally mars 
an otherwise fine strand. The casting line is 
made of three twisted or plaited strands to the 
extent of four feet ; then about four feet of double 
gut, twisted; then follows a length of the best single 
gut for some four feet. A tapered cast made in 
this way is most agreeable to cast, and aids the 
angler to lay out the fly with precision and light- 



The Artificial Fly 407 

ness of delivery. No leader should be more than 
fourteen feet long, for several reasons, the chief of 
which is that it must never be drawn through the 
tip guide, there being danger of breaking when a 
fish is on the hook ; and if the leader be longer 
than the rod, this may advertently be done. The 
selection of the salmon fly depends, as a rule, 
largely on the traditions of the fishery. This is 
more so in much-fished rivers than in those of 
comparative freedom from the rod. Many anglers 
would only use the so-called " standard " pat- 
terns, and would not think of trying experiments. 
Others think that pattern counts very little, and 
that size is all important. In my opinion, how- 
ever, the chief point to be aimed at is to make the 
salmon see the fly. If he be feeding, and the fly be 
in harmony with the surroundings and of the right 
colors to attract attention with reference to atmos- 
phere, foliage, clouds, and light, the fish will take 
almost any lure within these limits. At the best, 
the whole question is one of individual judgment, 
when that judgment has been qualified by experi- 
ence and observation ; and until then the learner 
had better "follow the leader." And let him 
never forget that he who catches the greatest 
number of fish is the one who keeps his line in 
the water the most! 



4o8 Guns, Ammwiition, and Tackle 

The methods of casting the fly in salmon-fish- 
ing are fundamentally the same as in trout-fishing, 
only with more force and less delicacy. One 
method of casting, much in vogue with British 
anglers when wading, is termed the " Spey " cast ; 
and as it is sui generis, a short description from 
one of its greatest professors. Major Traherne, 
may be quoted here. Writing in June, 1886, 
he says : — 

"To make a long Spey cast, the salmon fisher requires a 
rapid stream to work in, which will, before making every fresh 
cast, carry his fly down-stream to the full extent of his line 
straight and taut, the point of his rod being held as low as pos- 
sible for that purpose ; then, by suddenly raising the rod very 
high, the line is lifted out of the water to the very end, and 
without a moment's pause the rod is carried up-stream to the 
right or left (as the case may be) by a rapid motion, but not so 
rapid as to send the fly too far up-stream past the angler, the 
object being to let the fly strike the water just above where he 
is standing, at which moment the whole of the line is on the 
reverse or upper side of him. Then, with a sweep peculiar 
to this particular cast, the line is propelled over (and not 
along) the surface of the water, after the fashion in ordinary 
casting." 

It is not likely, however, that this cast will be 
found generally suitable to the salmon rivers of 
Canada and Maine, the " switch " and " over- 



The Artificial Fly 409 

hand " methods being those most in use accord- 
ing to my observation and information. 

On reaching a salmon water at the head of a 
pool or catch, the first thing to do is to select a 
fly suitable to the conditions of the water. This 
is, of course, a matter of tradition, histoiy, or im- 
mediate experience, and must be determined from 
one or the other. One thing, about the fly must 
be observed. It must be tested and found to be 
perfectly true-floating, and not skirt the water. 
Nothing scares a salmon so much as a fly that 
makes a ripple. 

A pool which has a good stream running 
through it should be fished somewhat as follows : 
Go to the head of the pool and throw well and 
down-stream, covering all the hkely water. This, 
of course, means a long cast, but it is better than 
casting straight across, because the fly lies long 
over a possible fish, and the current will keep the 
line tighter, so that the chances of the fish hook- 
ing itself are greater. More motion can also be 
imparted to the fly, by reason of the greater taut- 
ness of the line. 

To fish a slack pool is much more difiBcult. 
A long line here is difficult or impossible. A 
short one must be cast, and the rod pointed up, 



4IO Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

and the line kept tight. One must strike hard 
to hook a fish on a line like this. 

If a fish strike and miss the fly, finish fishing 
the pool and come back again in half an hour. 
He will probably be ready then. 

A jerking motion should always be imparted 
to the fly. This is produced by raising the tip of 
the rod a foot or two every few seconds and let- 
ting it fall again. The movement of the fly un- 
doubtedly has a tendency to attract the attention 
of the fish, which the fly, without spasmodic 
movement, would not do. 

When the salmon is hooked, he should be 
dealt with somewhat as follows: Hold the tip of 
the rod up so as to bring the fish to bear on the 
spring of the rod. This must not be forgotten. 
See that the line is free, and not looped round 
the reel or butt of the rod ; be ready to give what 
line the fish needs to prevent breakage, but be 
very sparing, and put all the pressure you can on 
him. If he springs out of the water, lower the 
tip of the rod. Should he go to the bottom and 
sulk, get below him and endeavor to draw him 
down-stream. If he will not move, pelt him with 
stones. If this will not move him, take a news- 
paper or old letter and slit it, placing it on the 



The Artificial Fly 411 

line, and causing the water to force the obstruc- 
tion down to the fish. I have known a news- 
paper to start a large fish when nothing else 
would do it. 

When the fish is thoroughly tired out, it should 
be, if possible, brought into shallow water ; and if 
a moderate fish of say eight or ten pounds, it 
should be landed by means of the landing-net. 
The net should never be thrust at the head of 
the fish, but should be drawn up clear of the fish 
from the tail, and so enclose it entirely. If the 
gaff be used, the fish should be floated over it, 
and the gaff should never be thrust at the fish. 
The gaffing process is always a difficult one, and 
though an arduous task, I always prefer doing it 
myself, if possible. More fish are lost through 
the excited and awkward movements of the at- 
tendant with the net or gaff than from any other 
cause. 

There is probably no fish more capricious in 
its feeding than this majestic fish. That is a 
truth which is seen equally from every point of 
view, and probably largely accounts for the charm 
of its capture. It has been noted by the experi- 
enced, however, that there are certain times when 
the salmon feed more generally than at others. 



412 Gims, Ammtmition, and Tackle 

On days of fitful sunshine and many clouds of 
the cumulus kind ; also, if the wind, from being 
cold and easterly, turns to the west or south, and 
becomes warmer; also, on windy days, after still 
and close weather, on rough days after fine 
weather, and often when there is a strong wind 
blowing, the Salmo salar takes the fly according 
to his humor. 



The Theory of the Bass Fly 

The making of the bass fly rests on a very slim 
foundation of theory. Most of the patterns which 
have been found successful in bass-fishing are 
without prototype in the natural insect. The 
gaudiest combinations are often used with effect ; 
but I am bound from my own experience to con- 
clude that the nearer the size and color approach 
those of the large family of the dragon-flies [Libe- 
lullidce), the more productive will be the lure. 

The small-mouthed black bass is as capricious 
as the salmon or trout in his choice of the arti- 
ficial flies he will rise to. I have never seen the 
fish take any natural fly, save the dragon-fly, as it 
rises from the pseudo-imago to the imago state. 
At such times the imitation of the creature will 



The Artificial Fly 413 

kill plentifully. A brown hackle dressed " buzz " 
— or with the hackle wound round the body — 
seems to be the nearest imitation one can tie, and 
in my experience it has been most successful. In 
early summer bass will also take most of the so- 
called " standard " flies ; and there is no fly which 
is a passable imitation of a brown or yellowish 
brown insect which does not seem caviare to this 
fish at times. 

I do not, therefore, reject " fancy " or " standard " 
flies, knowing as I do that the impetuous black 
bass has whims of his own which no one can ac- 
count for or understand. It may be added that 
the wet-fly system is that usually in vogue with 
the bass fly-fisher, but a floating cork- or straw- 
bodied fly of the right color and size often does 
wonderful execution. In early summer, when the 
brownish dragon-flies rise in myriads into the air, 
it is impossible to do wrong if one imitates, how- 
soever roughly, the size, shape, and color of the 
larvae. Speaking comprehensively, it may be as- 
sumed that the theories underlying trout and 
salmon fly-fishing are merged in the theory which 
explains the ready capture of the black bass on 
the gorgeous and sometimes composite flies in 
use, which, while not professing to be counterparts 



414 Gtms, Ammunition, and Taclile 

of the living or natural insect, are equally not like 
the exquisite compositions of silk and feather, 
which so variously are employed to lure the 
salmon. The black bass fly in ordinary use 
seems to strike the mean between the trout and 
salmon fly. 

The most successful bass flies are those that 
are made with a view to arousing the attention of 
the voracious fish by means of attractive colors, 
as well as those which resemble the tints of the 
natural food of the fish. No rule can, however, be 
positively given ; and it is, after all, probable that 
the most successful angler for bass with the fly is 
he who keeps his lure moving and as far off as 
possible from himself, and who, when he finds one 
particular fly is not productive, industriously 
changes it until he finds the right one, — always 
with a view to the contrast between each succeed- 
ing fly. 

The observant trout-angler will have no diffi- 
culty in applying his knowledge of the finer arts 
necessary for trout to the more strenuous methods 
of luring the robust black bass. I have never had 
any doubt that, size for size, the small-mouthed 
bass is the equal in fighting power to any of 
our game fish ; but his frank and fierce bravery 



The Artificial Fly 415 

is of a different kind to that from the Salmonidce, 
and lacks somewhat in refinement and delicacy 
of bearing. Fundamentally, however, the theory 
of fly-tying for these fish is the same as that for 
trout, with the slight exceptions already noted. 

The Making of the Bass Fly 

In choosing the hooks for bass fly-tying I al- 
ways prefer the Limerick O'Shaughnessy, and 
find that it saves the most fish, from the fact of its 
thickness and strength of wire, and its good quali- 
ties of bend. For the eyed hook, I choose the 
Pennell down-eyed, and find it satisfactory, its 
only fault, if fault it be, being that the point of 
the hook is bent round too near the shank for 
infallible engagement with the jaw of the bass. 
All numbers in the Limerick hook, from No. 6 to 
No. I, are useful as occasion calls for them. They 
cannot be improved upon for the purpose under 
consideration. 

It is hard to make a selection of bass flies 
when so many are proved to be killers according 
to the caprice of the fish. My experience, how- 
ever, has led me to the choice, on the whole, of 
the following flies; and with these of sizes vary- 



4i6 Gnus, Ammiuiition, and Tackle 

ing from No. 6 to No. i, — the majority being 
of smaller sizes, — I do not fear failure on any 
waters where the bass will take a fly. And where 
they will do this, let it here be affirmed that, like 
salmon, they may be taught or educated to do so ; 
for I have done this on several occasions. 
Here is my list : — 

1. Brown hackle. Body, peacock herl; hackle, 
brown rooster; tag, gold tinsel. 

2. Deer-hair hackle. Body, yellow silk ; hackle, 
gray-brown hair from deer, tied very securely and 
in plenty at the head. 

3. Scarlet ibis. Body, scarlet silk, ribbed gold 
tinsel ; tail, ibis and white swan ; hackle, red ibis 
scapular feather. 

4. Toodle bug. Body, yellow, tagged at the 
lower end with blue, and the body wound with a 
brown hackle halfway up to the throat of fly ; 
wings, from dark brown turkey. 

5. Grasshopper. Body, light brown wool or 
worsted ; tail, barred wood-duck and yellow dyed 
swan ; hackle, dark crimson ; wings, jungle cock 
hackle feather, with strips of ibis and white swan 
over top of wings ; head, green peacock herl, 
two turns. 

6. Fiery brown. Body, a fiery brown wool or 



PLATE 3 



BROOK TROUT FLIES 



1. BLACK GNAT 

2. COACHMAN 

3. WICKHAM'S FANCY 

4. ROYAL COACHMAN 

5. ALDER 

6. GRANNOM 



7. PROFESSOR 

8. GRIZZLY KING 

9. SILVER SEDGE 

10. MAY FLY 

11. FLIGHT'S FANCY 

12. SAETOUN 



J. Harrington Keene fecit 











irf' 






11 





The Artificial Fly 417 

mohair ; hackle, brown ; wings, red brown from 
feather of peacock ; tail, ibis. 

7. Coachman. Body, peacock herl ; hackle, 
brown ; wings, white swan ; tag, gold tinsel. 

8. Alder. Body, peacock herl ; wings, brown 
mallard ; hackle, dark brown. 

9. Kingfisher. Body, scarlet silk, ribbed gold 
tinsel ; hackle, Plymouth rooster ; tail, tippet of 
golden pheasant ; wings, dark barred mallard, 
from breast. 

10. Lord Baltimore. Body, orange silk, ribbed 
black thread ; tail, fibres crow ; hackle, black ; 
wings, black (crow) with jungle-cock sides. 

1 1. Gray drake. Body, white silk, ribbed black 
thread ; hackle, white ; black setae ; wings, dark 
barred feather of pintail breast. 

12. White miller. Body, hackle, and wings, 
white; gold tinsel at tag. 

With these flies tied on good gut, doubled or 
reenforced for about two inches above the hook 
shank, and fished with skill, the angler need 
never fear lack of sport. Other files will probably 
creep into his collection; but this list is the one 
which has gradually, through many years, come to 
be, for me, the inevitable " survival of the fittest." 

Of course the trout fiy-tier will find no practical 



4i8 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

difficulty in making bass flies ; they are ordi- 
narily, and for the most part, simpler than the 
majority of trout flies. But one useful alternative 
has been in my method for the last fifteen years 
when it has been found undesirable to take a 
large number of flies, and may be explained as 
follows: Imprimis, I believe in having at least 
half a gross of such flies as are given above for 
any fishing trip where bass are the quarry. If 
the angler desires to economize, he may take 
twelve complete flies only, but by a simple ar- 
rangement of interchangeability he may, out of his 
one dozen flies, make 144 different flies at will. 
This may seem like a statement of legerdemain, 
but the explanation is very simple ; to wit : — 

I make a dozen flies of different kinds, — such as 
I have above given, — but in the bodies of each I 
tie a thin silver tube (such as jewellers use in their 
work) and fasten off the body with the end of the 
tube slightly protruding at the end and on the top 
of the shank, the gut snell being below on the 
under side of the shank. The whipping must be 
securely tied and varnished. The hackle and 
wings are tied on a stout common pin. I use 
one of the blue steel kind with a bead head. Be 
careful that the pin fits closely in the tube, and 



The Artificial Fly .419 

that the whippings are well waxed and varnished. 
This is the process, and the "interchangeable 
fly " is made thus easily. 

To render the fly complete, one has only to in- 
sert the pin in the tube, thrusting it tightly home 
to the head. The hackles are then smoothed out, 
and the fly appears at once exactly like any other 
fly. But observe the advantage of the arrange- 
ment ! You have twelve separate flies, which may 
be used to their correct pattern if you choose ; and 
you can vary these patterns twelve times each 
pattern, after you have tested the original twelve 
standards. Of course the same fly-making applies 
to other large flies. Even six standards, with their 
six standards, give three dozen separate and dis- 
tinct variations ; and the labor of making this 
interchangeable device is little greater than that 
incurred in making the ordinary one-piece bass fly. 

One other variation in the making of the bass 
fly is very efflcient in some circumstances. I re- 
fer to the enclosure, next the shank of the hook, 
of a piece of lead wire or foil, to render the fly a 
sinking lure. The black bass often objects to 
rise to the surface for his food, and this device 
carries the fly to mid-water, or thereabouts, where 
the fish does not hesitate to seize with avidity. 



420 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

On the other hand the floating fly, as has been 
noted, must not be despised ; for the fanciful bass 
never gives warning precisely when or how he 
prefers his meal at a given time. 



Using the Bass Fly 

Micropterus Dolomiei, being no fool, and like all 
ardent creatures, human and otherwise, is variable 
and hard to understand, as we have seen. Fly- 
fishing is, of course, the supreme method of his 
capture ; and brief but practical directions for the 
use of the fly may here be ventured. 

How to cast the fly. — Assuming that the bass- 
fisher is equipped as has been indicated, and that 
he is fishing running water, he advances toward 
the edge of the stream ; and with the right or left 
foot forward, according to the side he is on, he 
stands facing downward and drops his flies 
in the running water. Holding the rod firmly 
grasped in the right hand, with the thumb upper- 
most, he draws a few feet of line from the reel 
with the left hand. A smart jerk of the rod draws 
out the loose line ; and this is repeated with line 
drawn from the reel till some twenty feet are trail- 
ing in the water. Now let him raise the point of 



The Artificial Fly 421 

the rod until the angle it assumes is about seventy 
degrees ; then, with a swift and evenly increasing 
movement of the rod, he urges the line back over 
his head or left or right shoulder, according to the 
wind and necessity of the position, till the length 
of the line is expended behind him. This must 
be done with no jerk of the rod, but swiftly and 
forcefully, and with evenly increasing speed, till the 
psychological moment of extreme expenditure is 
reached, which will be felt on experiment after a 
few trials. When the line is thus extended, and, 
as it were, poised and about to fall to the earth 
behind — at that psychological moment the for- 
ward impulse must be made, and the rod brought 
forward swiftly and as evenly accelerating as 
before, to an angle of the rod and the water of 
forty degrees, or thereabouts. The result will be 
a clean cast, with the fly falling one imperceptible 
moment before the leader and the line. If, how- 
ever, the aforesaid psychological moment be an- 
ticipated ever so little, the caster will hear a sharp 
snapping sound, and find that he has whipped off 
his fiy. If it be missed, and the forward move- 
ment delayed, the cast will be a slovenly and 
ungraceful one, and quite unsatisfactory. It is a 
good plan to take a friend of sharp vision (and 



422 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

some critical acumen) to tell you when the fly is 
extended behind. He should watch for its full ex- 
tension and say, " Now ! " on seeing it. The arm 
should not be waved, or allowed to extend from 
the side of the body ; and some anglers find it well 
to place an object, such as a small book, between 
the elbow and the body to prevent this ungainly 
spreading of the arm. This is termed the " over- 
hand cast," and is, of course, the basal cast of all 
others. In all practice the tyro should observe 
three cardinal principles; to wit: Never be in a 
hurry, never snatch or jerk the rod, and never for- 
get that the rod and wrist are one mechanism for 
the time being, with the wrist as the propelling 
power which the rod magnifies and completes. 
A good rod should be pliant down to its extreme 
butt end, and the wrist is then the pivot on which 
it turns and does its perfect work, in which is the 
very poetry of resilient strength. 

There are other methods of casting the fly which 
are useful for fishing in difficult waters. These are, 
briefly : the " wind" cast, the " underhand " cast, the 
" flip " cast, and the famous " switch " or Spey cast. 
The latter is especially useful, and indeed neces- 
sary, when an obstruction, such as an overhanging 
rock, is at the back of the angler. I have seen 



The Artificial Fly 423 

a seventy-foot cast of the Spey kind made with a 
rock wall of a hundred feet rising within six feet 
of the angler and right at his back. The move- 
ment of the rod is one which cannot be exploited 
except at the water-side, and is one which cannot 
be taught on paper. The wind cast is a modified 
Spey cast, and the underhand is simply a side- 
drawn and side-cast line. The flip cast is made 
by taking the fly between thumb and finger (be- 
ware of the hook point !), bending the rod as a 
bow, holding a few coils of line in the fingers of 
the right hand which grasp the rod, and letting go 
of the fly suddenly in the direction required. This 
is especially useful when fishing under the over- 
hanging boughs of side growth, by which some 
streams are fringed. 

For the majority of purposes, however, a thor- 
oughly practised ability with the overhand cast is 
sufficient for bass, it being the parent of all other 
methods, and proficiency with it rendering im- 
provisation of other casts an easy task as the 
necessity arises. The learner should always re- 
member that it is not the lon^ cast which takes 
the prize, — though sometimes it is necessary to 
cast a long line ; but it is the softly and accu- 
rately laid fly, which alights gently as thistledown 



4^4 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

just before the eyes of the waiting bass, that 
always does the trick ; and it is the man who 
keeps his lure longest in the water who catches 
the most bass. 

One important remark must be added to the 
above: As the bass is not a top-water feeder, it 
is sometimes well to let the fly sink a foot or 
so beneath the surface ; and it should be slowly 
recovered, so that the tackle may not be injured 
by too precipitate a movement. In fly-fishing 
for trout one must not be slow, the trout being 
a top-water feeder and superbly developed to 
that end. 

The leader for bass fly-fishiiig is composed of 
silkworm gut, of thickness and strength appro- 
priate to the probable size of the fish in view. 
Where the bass run up to two pounds and over, a 
salmon gut is necessary ; and each strand should 
be tested up to at least five pounds dead weight. 
It should be at least six feet in length, and be 
looped at both ends, with one or two other loops 
at a distance of twenty inches apart along it. The 
upper loop is for attachment to the reel line, and 
the lower ones are for the two or three flies which 
may be chosen. Before using, — no matter how 
impatient the angler may be, — he should soak 




DETERMINED TO GET SOMETHING. 



The Artificial Fly 425 

the leader for at least fifteen minutes in water. 
This softens the gut at the knots, and prevents 
fracture from the sudden strain of a fish. The 
experienced angler well knows that he has lost 
many fish at the first cast because this precaution 
has been omitted. I do not recommend the 
tapered leader for bass — no chain is stronger 
than its weakest link. 

The reel for bass fly-fishing should be of reliable 
make, and need not be multiplying if the barrel 
be of large diameter. It should be of the check 
or click pattern, so that, in casting, the line should 
not over-run. Its capacity should not be less 
than 150 feet of line of moderate gauge. 

The line for bassfishing should be of the finest 
grade, braided, and may vary according to the 
methods of the angler from a threadlike fineness 
to half the thickness of a straw. Some anglers 
need stronger tackle than others, — it is a matter 
of temperament. For y?j/-fishing the line should 
be enamelled, but for bait-fishing the expensive 
enamel is not so necessary, and the old dressings 
of oil and varnish will serve. Lines are now so 
beautifully and cheaply prepared that it is little 
profit to dress them at home. The rod for bass 
fly-fishing should not be more than ten feet long 



426 Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle 

and of proportionate weight, to suit the strength 
and endurance of the angler. No rod should be 
of a weight which unduly fatigues the angler, for 
in a good day's bass-fishing his natural strength 
is likely to be tested to the limit by this bold, 
strong fish. A sectioned bamboo rod, hand-made, 
of course, and weighing about seven ounces at 
most, is recommended as of reasonable weight 
and resiliency for the man of average physical 
powers. 



INDEX 



THE SHOT-GUN AND ITS HANDLING, 1-114 



Accidents in shooting, avoidance of, 

9-". 55-59- 
America, game-shooters of, 3, 4. 

As a game-producing country, 3-5. 
Shooting in, contrasted with shoot- 
ing in England, 29-32. 
American and English shooters, the 
great difference between, 72. 
American-English trap-shooting match 

(1901), 71, 72. 
Ammunition, defects, 47-52. 
Constant changes, 52. 
Effect of trap-shooting on manufac- 
ture, 68, 69. 
Powders, pressure on, in loading 
shells, 48. 
-^ " Dense " and " bulk " compared, 

58. 59- 
Black and smokeless compared, 

109-112. 
Best results secured by regular 
manufacturers, 112, 113. 
""^ Shells, for quail shooting, 9. 
Proper length, 48. 
Compression of powder in load- 
ing, 48. 
The crimp of, as affects shoot- 
ing, 50. 
Affected by moisture and heat, 51. 
Proper loading of, 109. 
Poor results and danger from 
improper loading, 113, 114. 
Shot, quality of, as affecting shoot- 
ing, 51,52. 
Chilled, give best patterns, 52. 
Soft, give poor patterns, 52. 
For live pigeon shooting, 93. 
Difference in numbering in Eng- 
land and America, 93. 



Ammunition [continued'] — 

Smokeless (nitro) powders, largely 
affected by wadding, 49. 
Affected by moisture and grease, 

50. SI- 

Requirements of primer for, 51. 

Pressure of, in gun, 58, 59. 

Now made stronger than for- 
merly, 58, 59. 

Not more dangerous than black 
powders, 58, 59, 107, 108. 

Effect of, on clay-target shoot- 
ing. 73- 

Use and abuse of, 107-114. 

Balling of shot, 45-47. 
Barrel of gun, best length, 53. 

Disadvantages in having too short, 
61. 

For all-round shooting, 61, 62. 

For use on small, cover-loving 
game, 62. 

For use on wild fowl, 63. 
Bend of gun, 59-62. 

For all-round shooting, 61, 62. 

For use on small, cover-loving 
game, 62, 63. 

For use on wild fowl, 63. 

See also under Gun. 
Betting, in live-bird trap-shooting, 76, 

83, 85. 
Black powders, see under Ammuni- 
tion. 
Blue-rock pigeons, 83-84. 
Bores of gun, present demands, 53. 
Maximum bore allowed in trap- 
shooting, 63-65. 
Further discussion of, 66. 
Bursting of guns, see under Gun. 



427 



428 



Index 



Caliber of gun, see Bores of gun. 

Camping, 5-7. 

Canvas shooting-clothes, 15. 

Cartridges, see under Ammunition. 

" Cast-off," the matter of, 40. 

Chronograph, use of, in solving shoot- 
ing problems, 55. 

Clay-bird shooting, see Trap-shooting 
(clay-bird). 

Clay-target shooting, see Trap-shooting 
(clay-target). 

Conduct in the field, 3-16. 

Crimp of the shell as affecting the 
shooting, 50. 

Crow, rate of flight, loi. 

Detonate, explanation of term, 107, 

108, III, 112. 
Dog, as a companion, 7. 

Use of, in English shooting, 24-25. 
Dress suitable for hunting, 15-16, 29- 

30- 
Duck shooting in England and Amer- 
ica, with decoys, as a test of 
skill, 32. 

England, shooting in, 17. 

Contrasted with shooting in Amer- 
ica, 17-32. 

English and American shooters, the 
great difference between, 
72. 

English-American trap-shooting match 
(1901), 71, 72. 

Eyesight, in hunting, 16. 
In target-shooting, 74. 

Fads of shooters in live-bird trap- 
shooting, 95-97. 

Flight of game in England and Amer- 
ica, 31, 32. 

Flinching, commonly caused by loose 

grip. 38. 
Fulminate of mercury as a detonating 
explosive, 108. 

Game, finding of, 12-13. 

Wild, method of approaching, 13, 
14. 



Game [continued'\ — 
Stalking, 14, 15. 
Flight of, in England and America, 

31. 32. 
Shooting, benefit of practice in trap- 
shooting, 80. 
Greener, W. W., on cause of bad pat- 
terns, 47. 
Grip of gun-stock, 41. 
Grouse, shooting, in Great Britain, open 
season, 17. 
Habitat of grouse, 18. 
Moors for, 18-22. 
See also Ruffed grouse. 
Gun, position, when carrying, 9-10. 
For quail shooting, 9. 
Method of handling, 10, 11, 
Faults of, apt to prevent good shoot- 
ing, 36. 
Chamber, length of shell for, 48. 
Injured by poor wadding, 49. 
Manufacture, constant changes in, 

52- 
Best for all-round shooting, 53. 
Bore of, now in demand, 53. 
Barrel, best length, 54. 
Single trigger action on, 54. 
Hammerless, usually quicker than 

others in lock action, 55. 
Safer than guns with hammers, 

55. 56- 
Breech-loading, safer than muzzle- 
loading, 55. 

Position, when closing, 56. 
Loaded, danger and precautions, 

56, 57. 

Bursting, not more frequent with 
smokeless powders, 58, 59. 

Strong breech required for smoke- 
less powders, 58, 59. 

Bends of, discussed, 59-62. 

Of more than one bend, necessary 
for best results, 59, 60, 

For trap-shooting, straighter than 
for game, 60. 

Weights of, discussed, 60-66. 

Formerly used and now used in 
America, compared as to 
weight, 60. 



Index 



429 



Gun [continued'\ — 

Very heavy, fit only for " market " 

shooting, 60. 
For all-round shooting, proper 

equipment of, 62-66. 
See also different parts. Barrel, 
Stock, etc. 
Gunpowder, see under Ammunition, 

Hammers, as cause of accidents, 56. 
Handling of gun, rules for, 9, 10, 11. 
Hares, as incidental game, 17, 20. 
Hat, wide-brimmed for hunting, 16. 
Hints as to shooting, 105-106. 
Hunting, see Shooting. 

Live-bird shooting; see Trap-shooting 

(live-bird). 
Loaded gun ; see under Gun. 
Loads used in pigeon and clay-target 

shooting, 65, 74, 75. 
Locks of gun, American-made and 

English-made compared, 54. 

Misses in shooting, reasons for dis- 
cussed, 32-69. 
Moors, British, shooting on, 18-22. 

Nitro powders (smokeless) ; see Am- 
munition (smokeless pow- 
ders). 

Partridge shooting in England, 22-24. 
Patterns, imperfect, due to poor boring, 
W. W. Greener, quoted, 47. 

Affected by length of shell, 48. 

Affected by kind of wadding used, 

49. SO. 
Uneven, owing to undue crimp of 

shell, 50. 
Poor, due to too strong fulminate 

or primers, 51. 
Affected by quality of shot, 51, 52. 
Pheasant shooting in England, descrip- 
tion of, 25-29. 
Pheasants, rearing of, in England, 26- 
28. 
Poaching of, 29. 
Pigeon, rate of flight, 102. 



Pigeon shooting; see Trap-shooting 

(live-bird). 
Position in shooting, 34-36. 
Preserves, English, 18-19. 
Primer, effect of moisture on, 50, 51. 
Pull-off of trigger, 38-39. 

Quail, shooting of, 8. 

Gun suitable for, 9, 62, 63, 

Flight of, 13. 

Difficulty of shooting, 31-32. 

Retrieving in trap-shooting, 88. 
Rib, matter of, discussed, 41-42. 
Riverton Club of Philadelphia, 102-104. 
Ruffed grouse, shooting of, 7-8. 

Habits of, 13. 

Difficult to kill, 31. 

Safety bolts, liability to fail, 57, 
Shells, see Ammunition (shells). 
Shoes for hunting, 15. 
Shooting, gun for quail, 9. 
Accidents in, 9, 10, 11. 
Dress for, 15, 16. 

In England {see also Grouse, Par- 
tridge, and Pheasant), 17-29, 
English and American compared, 

17-32. 
Preserves, English, 18. 
Constant changes, 52. 
Author's wide experience, 53. 
Allowance in aiming at moving 
objects, 55. 
Shots, order of, in hunting, 11-12, 
Single gun, best kind for all-round use, 

61, 62. 
Single trigger action, author's expe- 
rience with, 54. 
Smokeless (nitro) powders ; see Am- 
munition (smokeless pow- 
ders). 
Snipe, English, shooting of, 32. 
Society for Prevention of Cruelty to 
Animals, in England and 
on European Continent, atti- 
tude toward live pigeon 
shooting, 82. 
Objections largely met by present 
method of retrieving, 88. 



430 



Index 



Stalking game, 14, 15. 
Stock, bend of, 39-40. 
Stockings suitable for hunting, 15. 
"Stops," 27. 

Stringing, Griffith's experiments con- 
cerning, 43-44. 

Talking, warning against when hunt- 
ing, 14-15. 
Targets, improvements in making and 
throwing of, 70. 
Clay, many changes in, since intro- 
duction, 76. 
Target-shooting, see Trap-shooting 

(clay-target). 
Teasdale-Buckell, Mr., on use of only 

one gun, 59. 
Traps, many changes in manufacture, 
76. 
Arrangement and adjustment of, 

76. 
New form of, 78, 79. 
Trap-shooting, value of, 34, 69, 70. 
Straighter guns required for, than 

for game, 60. 
Teachings of, as to weights of guns, 

61. 
Maximum weight and caliber of 

gun, 63-65. 
Varying conditions, 65, 66. 
Differences between live-bird and 

target-shooting, 66, 88, 89. 
How it helps to make a good shot, 

67-69. 
Clay-bird, effect on manufacture of 
guns and ammunition, 68- 
69. 
Clay-target, best load, 65, 74, 75. 
Requirements for excellence, 69. 
True purposes of, 70. 
Wonderful growth in, 70, 71. 
Match (1901) between American 

and English teams, 71, 72. 
Effect of advent of smokeless 

powders, 73. 
As a unique sport, 73, 78. 
How to become expert, 74-80. 
Eyesight, 74. 
Need for quick action, 74. 



Trap-shooting [continued'\ — 

Necessity of constant practice, 

75- 

Advice of an expert, 75. 

Harmony of hand, eye, and 
brain necessary, 75. 

Compared with live-bird trap- 
shooting, 76. 

Many changes in, since intro- 
duction, 76. 

Usual plan now adopted at clubs, 
76-78. 

Effort toward establishing hand- 
icap in, 79, 80. 

Achievements of best shots, 80. 

Great benefit to game and pigeon 
shots, 80. 
Live-bird, 80-105. 

Rule as to dead birds, 64. 

Loads used, 65. 

American-English match (1901) , 
72. 

As to cruelty, 75, 76, 81, 82, 87. 

In America and other countries, 
82, 83. 

Betting on, 83, 85. 

Handling of birds in England 
and America compared, 85- 
87. 

Chief difference between use of 
live pigeons and clay-targets, 
88. 

Quick action necessary, 89. 

Use of second barrel, 89, 90. 

Difficulty of ground shots, 90, 91. 

Acquisition of skill, 91, 92. 

Points to be observed, 93, 97. 

Best size of shot, 93. 

Requisite qualities for success, 
94. 

Fads of shooters, 95-97. 

Position at the traps discussed, 

97-99- 
Preparation of shooter for match, 

99, 100. 
Importance of killing with centre 

of charge, 100, loi. 
Allowance for flight of bird, loi, 

102. 



Index 



431 



Trap-shooting \continued'\ — 

Gauging moment of shooting, 

102. 
New York-Philadelphia team 

match (1893-1894), 102-104. 
Avoidance of bad habits, 104, 

105. 
Trigger, importance of quick action of, 

54. 55- *5^' 3-'so Pull-off of 

trigger and Single trigger 

action. 

Wadding, discussion of, 49, 50. 
Weight of guns, very heavy gun fit 
» only for " market " shoot- 
ing, 60. 



Weight of guns [coniinued] — 

Advantages of lighter guns, 60, 61. 
Teachings of trap-shooting, 61. 
For use on small, cover-loving 

game, 62. 
For use on wild fowl, 63. 
In pigeon and in clay-target shoot- 
ing, 65. 
Whistle for dog, use of, in hunting, 

14-15, 106. 
Wild fowl, shooting of, in England, 17. 

Proper gun for use on, 63. 
Wild turkey, proper gun for use on, 

61, 62. 
Woodcock, habits of, 13. 

Proper gun for use on, 61, 62, 63. 



THE HUNTING RIFLE, 115-187 



Accuracy of, 1 19-128. 

Meaning of term discussed, 119, 120. 
Dependent mostly on the barrel, 

120-123. 
Influence of breech mechanism on, 

123. 
Ammunition the chief factor in, 123- 

126. 
As affected by shape and fit of man- 
tled bullets, 126-128. 
Adjustment of the rifle, 161-165. 
For alignment, 163. 
For elevations, 163, 164. 
For zero, 165-168. 
Ammunition, the chief factor in accu- 
racy, 123, 124. 
General principles governing selec- 
tion of, 125-128. 
Bullets, full-mantled, importance of 
proper shape and fit, 126- 
128. 
Trajectories of, 128-131. 
Penetrating power and effect of, 

132, 133, 135-142. 
" Soft points " discussed, 133, 

134, 139, 140. 
Testing of, 135. 

Penetration, energy, and caliber 
discussed, 139. 



Ammunition [confinueci] — 

Cartridges, ballistic qualities of prin- 
cipal makes, 136-139, 141, 
144-145. 
Used interchangeably with dif- 
ferent makes of rifles, 137. 
Energy of various cartridges, 

137- 138, 139- 142. 144-145. 
Killing powers of certain kinds, 

142. 
Importance of buying proper 

kinds, 142-T43. 
Weight of rifle for different en- 
ergies of, 151, 152. 
Smokeless powders, pressure of, in 
rifle barrel, 122. 
As reliable as black powder, 

126. 
See Reloading Ammunition. 
Animals, wild, vitality of, 140, 141. 
Fair play for, 148, 149. 
Protective resemblances of, 185. 
See Game. 
Automatic rifles, certain objections to, 
148, 149. 

Barrel, on what shooting qualities 
mostly depend on, 120-123. 
Jump of, 121, 



432 



Index 



Barrel [^continued'] — 
Flip of, 121. 
Whip of, 122. 

Lack of uniform boring, 127, 128. 
Thickness no guarantee of strength, 

181, 182. 
Cleaning of, 183, 184. 
Bolt, or breech-block ; see Breech 

Mechanism. 
Brayton sight, tubeless telescope, see 

under Sights. 
Breech mechanism, general principles 

relating to, 124-125. 
Bullet moulds, 177. 
Bullets, jtf^ Ammunition (bullets). 

Calibers, large and small, relative kill- 
ing power of, 136-138. 
Different in rifles supposedly alike, 
effect of, 177, 178. 

Calling shots, 151. 

Care of the rifle, 183-184. 
Simple tools for, 184. 

Cartridge feed, see Breech Mechanism. 

Cartridges, see Ammunition (car- 
tridges). 

" Corkscrew," 126. 

Drawing a bead, 153. 

Energies of leading makes of car- 
tridges, 137, 138, 139, 142, 
144-145. 

Essential qualities of, 117, 118. 

Flinching, fatal to accuracy, 151, 

A good corrective of, 164. 
Flip of barrel, 121. 

Game, aiming at, 185. 

Following wounded, 185, 186. 
Glitter about rifle, disadvantages of, 

161. 
Globe sights, see under Sights. 
Grizzly bear, formidable character of, 

141. 

Hudson, Dr. W. G., quoted, on ner- 
vousness in shooting, 172, 
173- 



Hudson, Dr. W. G. [continued] — 
As authority on proper loading and 

handling of rifles, 177. 
As designer of bullets, 177. 
As discoverer of alloy for bullets, 

178. 
Recommends special nitro-cleaner 

for gun-barrels, 183, 184. 

" Ideal Handbook," full instructions 
for reloading ammunition 
contained in, 177. 

Ivory bead, as a sight, see under 
Sights. 

Jump of barrel, 121. 

Kadiak bear, formidable character of, 

141. 
" Keyhole," 126. 

Killing power, discussed, 131-143. 
Of a bullet, on what it depends, 
131, 132, 136, 137. 
Killing zone, defined and discussed, 

165, 166. 
Krag rifle, use of reduced loads in, 
121, 122. 
Use of super-caliber bullets in, 

128. 
.30 cal., killing power of, 132. 

Line of aim and line of fire, 166. 
Lyman sight, see under Sights. 

Marlin rifles, cartridges of different 

makes used for, 137. 
Mechanical development of rifle, 147. 
Military rifle, modern, range of, 120. 

Barrels, 121, 122. 

Trigger-pull, 159. 

Open sights, see under Sights. 

Peep-sight, see under Sights. 
Penetration, see under Bullets and 

Killing Power. 
Pope telescope sight, see under 

Sights. 
Powders, see under Ammunition, 



Index 



433 



Rapidity of fire, discussion of, 146-150. 

Various kinds of rifles compared as 
to, 148. 
Recoil of rifle, 151. 

For cartridges of different energies, 

151. 152- 
A factor in good shooting, 151, 
152, 
Reloading ammunition, 175-183. 
Early failures, 175, 176. 
Subsequent success, 176. 
Full instructions for, in " Ideal 

Handbook," 177. 
Bullet moulds, 177. 
New bullets designed, 177. 
Shells for, 179. 
Proper precautions in, 179. 
Smokeless powder, quick-burning 

and slow-burning, 179-181. 
Cast-lead bullets, 182. 
Remington-Lee rifle, reliability of, 122. 
Cartridges of several makes used 
for, 137. 
Repeating rifle, compared with single- 
shot rifle, 146, 147, 148. 
Proper use of, 150. 
Rifle in the field, the, 184-187. 
Rifle ranges, 162. 

Rifles, lever-action magazine, bolt- 
action, and automatic, com- 
pared as to rapidity of fire, 
148. 
Rust, preventive of, 184. 

Savage rifles, cartridges of several 
makes used for, 137. 
Sight, see under Sights. 
Schuetzen rifle, good only for target- 
shooting, 118. 
Shell-extractor, see Breech Mechan- 
ism. 
Shooting, at small, near-by marks, al- 
lowance made in, 168. 
Downhill and uphill, 186. 
At running game, 186, 187. 
See also Target Practice. 
Sights, discussed, 152-158. 

Importance of precise alignment of, 
152. 
2F 



Sights {^continued ] — 

On American rifles, shortcomings 

of, 152, 153. 
Open, objections to, 153. 
An ivory bead as front sight, 153, 

154- 
Globe, with hoods, 154. 
Front, combination (Beach and 

Lyman patterns), 154. 
Savage peep-sight, 154. 
Lyman, effective, 154, 155. 
Peep, proper position of, 155. 
Telescope, discussed, 155-158. 
Alignment of, 163. 
Marking for elevations, 167. 
Single-shot rifle, superior in certain 
points to repeating rifle, 
146. 147. 
Sling for rifle desirable, 161. 
" Small-bore " defined, 135, 136. 
Stevens rifles, cartridges of several 

makes used for, 137. 
Stock, 160-161. 

Target practice, discussed, 168-175. 

Second only to field practice, 168. 

With a rest, 168, 169. 

Off-hand, 169, 170. 

Aiming, 170. 

Command of trigger, 171, 172. 

Nervousness as a factor, 172, 173. 

Natural aptitude for, 173. 

At unknown distances, 173, 174. 

Ammunition, 173, 174, 175. 

Approximating field conditions in, 
174. 

Precautions in, 175. 
Target shooters, general ignorance of, 
concerning practical marks- 
manship, 129, 130. 
Telescope sight, see under Sights. 
Trajectories of ammunition, test of, 
128-131. 

Ignorance • of, among short-range 
target shooters, 129, 130. 

Absurd theories concerning, 130. 

Affected by atmospheric conditions, 
131, 167, 168. 

For different distances, 166, 



434 



Index 



Trigger-pull, creeping, 125, 159, 160. 

Of automatic rifles, 149, 150. 

Importance of perfect, 158, 159. 

Easing of, 159. 

Of military rifles, 159. 

Standard, 159. 
Triggers, set, for single-shot rifles only, 
160. 

Pressure on, 171. 



Van Dyke, quoted, as to hollow-point 
bullets, 134, 135. 

Weight, discussed, 150-152. 
Winchester rifle, accuracy of, 122. 
Cartridges of different makes used 
for, 137, 

"Zero" of a rifle defined, 165. 
See also Adjustment of the Rifle. 



THE THEORY OF RIFLE-SHOOTING, 189-256 



Ballistic coefficient used in connection 

with bullets, 203. 
Bullets, see Projectiles (bullets) . 

Centre of form of spherical projectiles, 
see Projectiles (spherical). 

Centre of gravity of spherical pro- 
jectiles, see Projectiles 
(spherical) . 

Density of air, on what dependent, 205. 

Examples and problems, 206-219. 
Drift, 232-250. 

Definition of term, 232. 

Cause, 232. 

Of spherical projectiles, 233-238. 

Accidental, origin of, 235. 

Effect on, of rifling barrel, 237, 238. 

Lateral, allowance for, 238. 

Of elongated projectiles, 238-250. 

Cases discussed at length, 239-246. 

Spiral, variations in, 243. 

Of projectile, effect of wind on, 245, 
246. 

Elongated projectiles, see Projectiles 

(elongated). 
Energy, discussed, with formula and 

examples, 229-231. 

" Flip " discussed, 254-256. 

Force of gravity, effects of, discussed, 

194-200. 
Forces acting upon bullet on leaving 

gun, 193. 



Gas cutting in gun-barrels, 235, 236. 
Grooving of barrels, 237, 238, 250. 

"Jump" discussed, 253-254. 

Motion of rotation in spherical pro- 
jectiles, 233-236. 
Motion of translation defined, 233, 

235- 
Mushrooming of bullets, 231, 232. 

Penetration differentiated from veloc- 
ity, 231-232. 
Powder gases, action of, on spherical 

projectiles, 236-237. 
Projectiles, bullets, height of above line 
of fire, 199. 
Relative drop of, in vacuo and in 

air, 201, 202. 
Resistance and velocities of, 202, 

203. 
Soft lead and hollow-pointed, ten- 
dency to mushroom, 231, 
232. 
Elongated, lateral and spiral drift 
of, 238. 
Cylindrical, flat-headed, drift of, 

244. 
Twist of, discussed, 246-249. 
Length and calibers compared, 

248. 
Velocity of rotation, 249. 
Spherical, time and velocity, table 
of, 220-227. 



Index 



435 



Projectiles [confinued] — 

Centre of form and of weight 

explained, 233. 
Resultant of forces acting on, 

233- 

No motion of rotation when per- 
fect, 233, 234. 

Effect of gas cutting on, 235, 
236. 

Deviation of, discussed, 236-237, 

Recoil in guns, 250-256. 

Cause and effect discussed, 250-252. 
Gauges, 252. 
Reducing severity of, 252. 
Unpleasant effects dependent on 

velocity, 253. 
From black and nitro powders, 
compared, 253. 
Resistance encountered by a projectile, 
on what dependent, 202. 



Resistance of the air, 200-228. 
Extent of, illustrated, 200, 201. 
Varies greatly with velocity of 

bullet, 203. 
To projectiles, 204, 205. 
Examples and cases discussed, 206- 

219. 
Tables of time and velocity of 
projectiles, 220-228. 
Rifling of barrel, see Grooving. 

Scientific theory, value of, 191-193. 
" Stripping," 246, 

Trajectory of bullet, 196, 198. 
Ordinates of, defined, 198. 

Weight of bullets, relation of, to energy, 

229. 
Wind, effect of, on drift of projectiles, 

245, 246. 



THE PISTOL AND REVOLVER, 257-355 



Accidents, in rapid-fire shooting, avoid- 
ance of, 331. 
Ammunition, 276-293. 

For military revolvers and pistols, 

265. 
Requirements for good results, 277. 
Accuracy of various charges, 287. 
For British Army, caliber of, 288. 
Importance of using proper kind, 

329. 330- 
Black powders, for cartridges, com- 
pared with smokeless pow- 
ders, 276, 277. 

Cleaning arms after use of, 333. 

Giving the best results, 346, 347. 
Bullets, self-lubricating, 289, 290. 

Alloy for gallery charges, 292. 

Removal from barrel after mis- 
fire, 331. 

Fit in barrel, 344-346. 

Lubrication, 346. 

For high velocity or great pene- 
tration, 349, 350. 
Cartridges, invention of, 260. 



Ammunition [continued] — 

Central fire, various kinds dis- 
cussed, 280-293. 
Special smokeless, 292-293. 
Accidental omission of powder 

from, 330. 
Reloading, 338-355. 

Experience and skill necessary, 

338, 339- 
Primers, 339, 350, 351. 
Shells, 339, 340, 350, 351. 
Bullets, 340-346, 352-354. 355- 
Suitable tools, 350. 
Uniformity in, 350. 
Powder charges, 351, 352. 
Smokeless powders, advantages of, 

in cartridges, 261, 290-293. 
Compared with black powders, 

276, 277. 
Difference between " dense " 

and " bulk," 348. 
" Dense," suggestions as to use 

of, 348, 349. 
Anderton, Thomas, 297, 318. 



436 



Index 



Arms, 263-276. 

Military, discussed, 264-273. 

Pocket, 274-276. 

Important suggestions, 319-320. 

Selection of, 319-323. 

Correct manner of holding, 320. 

Finish of, 321. 

Double action-feature, 322, 323. 

Cleaning and care of, 335-338. 

See Revolver and Pistol. 

Barrel, fouling of, 276, 277, 289. 

Length of, 322. 

Bulging of, 330. 

Method of cleaning, 336, 337. 
Bell, Dr. Louis, 304. 
Bennett, F. E., 302, 303, 318. 
Bennett, W. W., 302. 
Black powder, see Ammunition (black 

powders). 
Breech-loading system, introduction of, 

260, 261. 
"Buffalo Bill," see William F. Cody. 
Bullet moulds, 286. 
Bullets, see Ammunition (bullets). 

Carlin-Reynolds revolver tests, 303, 304. 
Cartridges, see Ammunition (cart- 
ridges). 
Cleaning and care of arms, see under 

Arms. 
Cody, Colonel William F., 300. 
Colt magazine pistol, 268. 
Colt revolvers, as military arms (.38 
cal.), 265, 321. 
New service, 265, 266, 321. 
Frontier Model, 266, 267. 
" Single Action Army," 275. 
Double action, 275, 332. 
Colt's invention of the revolver, 260. 

Duelling with pistols, 260. 

Flinching, 322. 

Fouling of barrel, see under Barrel. 

" i''reak " arms, 273. 

Gas cutting, 344, 354. 
Gastinne-Renette single-shot pistol, 271, 
272. 



Gorman, J. E., 298, 318. 
Gould, C. A., Editor of Shooting and 
Fishing, 301, 302. 

Hints for shooting, 334, 335. 
Hints to beginners, 319-338. 

Ideal Manufacturing Company's hand- 
book on moulding bullets, 
reloading ammunition, etc., 

341- 
International revolver match between 
France and United States, 
305. 306. 

Janfzer, George E., 304. 
Johnston, W. C, 318. 

" Leading " the barrel, 330, 350. 
Luckett, William H., 319. 
Luger magazine pistol, 268. 

Magazine pistols, important features 
of, 268, 269. 
Compared with the revolver, 269. 

Manipulation, precautions in, 323, 324. 

Mannlicher magazine pistol, 268. 

Matches, shooting, see under Shoot- 
ing. 

Mauser magazine pistol, 268. 

Military arms, see under Arms. 

Mors magazine pistol, 268. 

Moulding bullets, 341-344. 

National Rifle Association, annual 
meeting at Creedmoor 
(1886), 301. 

Paine-Bennett revolver match, 302, 303. 
Paine, Chevalier Ira Anson, 300, 301, 

302. 303- 
Paine sights, 295. 
Patridge, E. E., 318. 
Patridge sight, 295. 
Percussion cap, invention of, 260. 
Petty, Sergeant W. E., 298, 304, 319. 
Pistol, evolution of, 259, 260. 

Distinguished from revolver, 263. 

Present use of, 263. 

See Arms. 



Index 



437 



Pistol shooting, see Shooting. 
Pocket-arms, 274-276. See under Arms. 
Position in pistol and revolver shoot- 
ing, 296-298, 324-328. 
Primers, see Ammunition (reloading). 

Reloading ammunition, see Ammu- 
nition (reloading). 
Remington pistol, 270, 271, 320. 
Revolver, evolution of, 259, 260. 
Invention of, 260. 
Modern, briefly described, 264. 
Service, requirements in brief, 264, 
265. 
Of U. S. Army and Navy, 265. 
And magazine pistol compared, 

269. 
In target-shooting, 272, 273. 
Suggestions as to drawing and 

carrying, 332, 333. 
Valuable practice with, 333. 
Shooting, see Shooting. 
See also under Arms. 
Richmond, C. S., 298, 303, 318. 
Rim-fire cartridges, various makes 
discussed, 277-280. 

Schaaf, Captain William P., 300. 
Shells, see under Ammunition. 
Shooting, as a sport and exercise, 261, 
262. 
Skill dependent mainly on training 

and practice, 262. 
Pistol or revolver and rifle com- 
pared, 262, 263. 
Position in, 296-298. 
Position and aiming, 324-328. 
Rapid-fire, suggestions as to prac- 
tising, 331. 
Practice of cowboys and ranchmen, 

333- 
Useful hints for, 334, 335. 
In matches, 335. 
See also Target Shooting. 
Sights considered, 294-296. 
Testing of, 296. 

For target arms, adjustment of, 
328, 329. 
Smith & Wesson pistols, 270, 321, 



Smith & Wesson revolvers, as military 
arms (.38 cal.), 265, 321. 
Russian Model, 265, 266, 321. 
Schofield Model, 267. 
Safety hammerless revolver, 274, 

27s. 332- 
Smokeless powders, see Ammunition 

(smokeless powders). 
Standard American Target, 310, 311. 
Stevens pistols, 270, 271, 321. 
Diamond Model, 275, 276. 

Target arms, 269-273. 

Principal requirements, 269. 
Single-shot pistols, 270-272. 
Revolver, accuracy of, 272, 273. 
The revolvers generally used, 273. 
Target-practice, suggestions as to 

sights, 328, 329. 
Targets, description of, 298, 299. 

Of U. S. Army for revolver practice, 

308, 309. 
Other kinds used, 312, 313. 
Used in England and France, 313. 
Target-shooting, 298-319. 
Importance of, 298. 
In United States, brief history of, 

299-306. 
With pistol and revolver as a sport, 

origin of, 301. 
Leading records in, 302. 
"Best on record" performances 

with single-shot pistol, 304, 

305- 
Usual conditions in, 306-307. 
Under U. S. Army regulations, .'Sog- 

311- 

Gallery practice, 312. 

.22 caliber pistols for beginners. 322. 

See also Targets. 
Target sights, see Sights. 
Taylor, C. H., 318. 
Travers, Captain John, 299, 300. 
Trigger-pull, 321, 322. 

Of target arms, 329. 

United States Revolver Association, 
influence of, on pistol and 
revolver shooting, 305, 306. 



438 



Index 



United States Revolver Association 
[continuedl — 

First international revolver match 
between France and United 
States, conducted by, 305, 
306. 

Target adopted by, 310, 311. 

Annual champion matches, — 
events, rules, and regula- 
tions, 313-319. 



Waterhouse, G. W., 319. 
Webley-Fosbury automatic revolver, 

267, 268. 
Webley revolvers, 267, 
Winans trophy revolver matches, 

304- 
Winans, Walter, 297, 304. 
Wurfflein single-shot pistol, 270, 

271. 



THE ARTIFICIAL FLY, 357-426 



" Barker's Delight," quoted as to 

Saltno salar, 389. 
Bass-fishing, 420-426. 

Casting the fly in, 420-424. 
Tackle for, 424-426. 
Bass fly, theory of the, 412-415. 

Most effective combinations for, 

412, 413, 414. 
Making of the, 415-420. 
Best hooks for 415. 
Kinds selected, 415-417. 
Abundant supply necessary, 418. 
Interchangeable, 418. 
Sinking lure for, 419. 
Using the, 420-426. 
Bass fly-fishing, tackle for, 424, 425. 
Berners, Dame, see " Boke of St. 

Albans." 
Black bass, small-mouthed, capricious- 
ness of, in rising to flies, 
412, 413. 
Fighting power of, 414, 415. 
Blacker, of Soho, London, as an early 

salmon fly-maker, 393. 
" Boke of St. Albans," quoted as to 

bait for salmon, 389. 
Browne-Goode, G., on feeding habits 
of salmon, 391. 

Cast, flip, 386, 422, 423. 

Spey (switch), 386, 387, 408, 409, 

422, 423. 
Underhand, 386, 422. 
Overhand, 422, 423. 
Wind, 385, 386, 422, 423. 
Importance of accuracy in, 423, 424, 



Chalk streams of England, 365, 368, 

380. 
Charr, see Salmo /ontinalis. 
Chatterer fly, number of parts of the, 

402. 
Colorist-formalist school of fly-makers, 

see Fly-makers. 
Colorist school of fly-makers, see 

Fly-makers. 
"Condensation" theory of fly-fishing, 

395. 396. 

" Dead" fly-fishing, see Fly-fishing. 
Dragon-flies, as food for bass, 412. 
" Dry " fly-fishing, see Fly-fishing. 

" Exaggeration " theory of fly-fishing, 
395. 396. 

Flies, "fancy," 365. 

For " wet " (" live ") fly-fishing, 366, 

367- 
For " dry " (" floating ") fly-fishing, 
366, 368. 
Flies used in British Isles, mostly imi- 
tations of natural insects, 
362. 
How far useful in American waters, 

363- 
Standard patterns discussed, 363- 

366. 
Flip cast, the, see Cast. 
" Floating " fly-fishing, see Fly-fishing. 
Fly-casting, for trout, directions for, 

384. 385- 



Index 



439 



Fly-casting [continued'^ — 

For salmon, 408, 409, 410. 

For bass, 420-424. 
Fly-fishing, "dry" ("floating," or 
" dead "), 366, 367, 368, 385, 

413. 424- 
"Wet" ("live"),384, 385, 413. 
Fly-makers, schools of, 359-361. 
Formalists, 359, 360, 361. 
Colorists, 359, 361, 
Colorists-formalists, 359, 360, 361- 

362. 
Of America, the early, 362, 363. 
Fly-tiers, see Fly-makers. 
Francis, Francis, as a salmon fly- maker, 
393- 

Gaff, use of, on salmon, 411. 

Hallock, Charles, quoted as to feeding 
habits of Salmo salar, 390, 

391- 
Hooks, for trout flies, 369, 380-382, 
For salmon flies, 397-400. 
For bass flies, 415. 

Itchen, English trout stream, 364, 368. 

Jock Scott, as a trout fly, 378, 
As a salmon fly, 396. 
Number of parts of, 402. 

Kelson, George M., on feeding habits 
of salmon, 391, 392. 

Attempt at renaissance of salmon 
fly-tying, 394. 

On " condensation " and " exaggera- 
tion," 396. 

Landing-net, use of, on salmon, 411. 
LibelullidcB, see Dragon-flies. 
Line, see Tackle. 
" Live " fly-fishing, see Fly-fishing. 

Micropterus Dolomiei, small-mouthed 
black bass, 420. 

" Nahanik," quoted as to feeding habits 
of salmon, 392, 



Natural flies, predominating colors of, 
364. 365- 

Overhand cast, see Cast. 

Palmer fly, 374. 

Parmachene Belle, trout fly, 378. 
Pennell, as a leading fly-maker, 359. 
Inventor of O'Shaughnessy hook, 

398. 
Hooks discussed, 398-400. 
Pritchard, Harry, and the "switch" 
(Spey) cast, 386, 387. 

Reel, see Tackle. 
Rod, see Tackle. 
Ronalds, on the shape of the fly, 362. 

Salmo fontinalis, 363. 
Salmon, methods of fishing pools for, 
409. 

Use of landing-net for, 411. 

Use of gaff for, 411, 

Capriciousness in feeding, 411, 412. 
Salmon fly, theory of the, 388-396. 

General principles concerning, 394- 
396. 

Making the, 396-403. 

Hooks for, discussed, 397-400. 

Anatomy of, 400-402. 

Feathers for, 403. 

Using the, 404-412. 

Importance of tackle, 404-407. 

Selection of, 407, 409. 

Methods of casting, 408. 
Salmon fly-making, Kelson's attempted 

renaissance of, 394. 
Salmo salar, feeding habits of, 388-393, 

see also Salmon. 
Silver Doctor, as a trout fly, 378. 

As a salmon fly, 400-402. 

Anatomy of, 400-402. 
Spey cast, see Cast. 
Stalking trout, 383. 
Stewart, as a leading fly-maker, 359. 
" Switch " (Spey) cast, see Cast. 

Tackle, for trout-fishing, 383-384. 
For salmon-fishing, 404-407. 
For bass-fishing, 422, 424-426, 



440 



Index 



Traherne, Major, collection of flies be- 
longing to, 394. 
On " condensation " and " exaggera- 
tion," 396. 
On the Spey cast, 408. 
Trout, brown, of Europe, compared 
with Salmo fontinalis, 363. 
Proper playing of, 387, 388. 
Trout fly, theory of the, 359-368. 
Making the, 369-378. 
Tools for, 369-370. 
Materials for, 370-378, 379. 
Hackle, 372, 374. 
Bodies, 374, 375. 
Wings, 375, 376, 377, 378. 
Process described, 372-374. 



Trout fly [condnued] — 
Hooks for, 369. 
Using the, 378-388. 

An ancient art, 378, 379. 
Design and material of, 379. 
For " live " and for " dry " fly-fish- 

Jng. 379-380, 381, 382, 383. 
Sizes and kinds discussed, 381, 382. 
Casting of, 383, 384. 

Underhand cast, see Cast. 

Warner, Charles Dudley, on the arti- 
ficial fly, 388. 
Wet fly-fishing, see Fly-fishing. 
Wind cast, see Cast. 



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